10 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 6, 1894. 
- Tomato Flowers Falling.—I shall be obliged if some of 
your correspondents can give me information as to the probable 
cause of flowers falling from Tomato plants. 1 have some plants in 
boxes, under glass and well ventilated, the flowers of which are 
constantly falling off.—J. 
- The Potato Crop in Scotland.—A correspondent informs 
us that although the May frosts did much damage to Potatoes the crops 
are likely to prove satisfactory. In Forfarshire and other districts all 
signs of injury have disappeared. From Perthshire, Fifeshire, Stirling 
shire, and in Aberdeenshire the reports are encouraging. In Bast 
Lothian, however, the early varieties will give but a poor return to the 
growers, but later kinds are in excellent condition. 
- Eremuri. — 1 am much obliged to your correspondent, “ H. A., 
Greenock,” for his note on Eremurus himalaicus on page 517. He is 
to be congratulated on possessing a flowering specimen of one of the 
best of the genus. I shall have a note on the Eremuri shortly, but am 
at present exceedingly busy, and have not an opportunity of referring 
to what I said about these plants before. So far as I can recollect my 
remarks referred to the need of protection from spring frosts, and that 
I did not say the Eremuri would not bloom further north than 
Dumfries. If I did say so I shall be pleased to confess my error,— 
S. Arnott. 
- Australian Dried Fruits. — According to the “ South 
Australian Register ” settlers in the River Murray Irrigation 
Colonies are reaping some reward for their enterprise. For the season 
1893—4 the exports from Mildura are : Raisins and Currants, 600 tons ; 
canned fruit, about 250 tons; and dried Apricots and Peaches, about 
25 tons. It is expected that Mildura will produce this season 
35,000 gallons of wine and 4,000 gallons of brandy, and about 20,000 
cases of Oranges and Lemons during the ensuing winter. The gross 
value of the whole product from Mildura this season is put down at 
about £50,000. The Renmark Colony is not so far advanced as the 
Victorian settlement. Still, it is encouraging to learn that the yield at 
Renmark is to be in round numbers 50 tons of Raisins and 15 tons of 
dried Apricots. Dried Apricots from Mildura are selling in the Melbourne 
market at over £100 per ton. 
Duckweeds. —At a recent meeting of the L’nnsan Society 
a paper was read on the habits of three species of Lemna, by Dr. 
H. B. Guppy. The author gave the results of experiments made by 
him during a period of twenty months, and showed that Lemna gibba 
can pass the winter either in the gibbous form or with fronds, which 
appear to resemble those of L. minor. The flowering of L. gibba was 
observed in July, when it was found that the gibbous plants were pro¬ 
ducing thin flat fronds, which were also in flower, and floating detached. 
In both cases, says “ Science Gossip,” the flowers were hermaphrodite, 
but they had the appearance of being unisexual, on account of the 
flowers 6f the gibbous plant protruding the pistil only, while those of 
the flat fronds evolve only the stamens. The paper concluded with a 
table of temperatures relating to the germinating, budding, and flower¬ 
ing of these plants. 
- Agave Americana Flowering.— In the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture for June 7th it was stated that two plants of Agave americana 
were showing flower spikes in the Royal Botanic Society’s conservatory 
at Regent s Park. The fact of these plants commencing to flower set 
a writer in a daiiy paper searching for other recorded instances. He 
says, A plant bloomed at Paris in 1663, and thirty-five years later a 
Mr. Versprit of Lambeth flowered one from 12 to 15 feet in height. At 
that time it was regarded as a great rarity. But in 1714 two blossomed 
at Hampton Court. In 1729 Mr. Cowell succeeded in flowering one in 
his garden at Hoxton, and declared it to be the first seen in England, 
alleging that the others which had bloomed in Lambeth and the Royal 
gardens were not the true American Aloe at all. How far this assertion 
was well founded cannot now be ascertained. But, at all events, the 
existence of a mezzotint engraving of the Hoxton plant, by Kirkall, 
dated September 12th, 1729, removes all doubt as to its being the 
genuine Agave. In 1737, an engraving by Toms, from a drawing by 
Badeslade, shows that another flowered at Eaton Hall. From some 
memoranda made at the time it appears that the plant began flowering 
on June 5th, and produced 1050 blossoms. Again, in 1743, two plants, 
about fifty years of age, flowered at Hampton Court, their respective 
heights being 27 and 24 feet. A flower spike at Karlsbad grew to the 
height of 26 feet, and produced on its twenty-eight branches more 
than 3000 flowers, while one at Frederiksborg, in Denmark, bore 4000. 
But, of all naturalised American Aloes of which we have heard, 
the 40-feet one in the King of Prussia’s garden at Potsdam isi the 
tallest.” In 1859 an Agave eighty years old bloomed in the Royal 
Botanic Society’s gardens, and the flower spike is reported to have 
been 30 feet high. 
- Woking Iand District Horticultural and Cottage 
Gardeners’ Association. —For the purpose of further promoting 
horticulture in the neighbourhood of Woking, already famed for 
gardening, the above Association has been inaugurated under very 
favourable auspices, and the first summer show will be held on July 11th 
and 12th. This will take place in the grounds of the Horsell and 
Woking Cricket Club, near Woking Station. The prizes offered are 
sufficient to ensure a good display of exhibits which is anticipated. 
Mr. H. W. Robertson, Somerset Villa, Woking, is the Honorary Secretary, 
and from whom schedules may be obtained. 
- Maidenhair Fern Planted Out. —Maidenhair Ferns are 
well grown in Messrs. Drovers’ Fareham Nurseries. Several span- 
roofed houses are occupied with this Fern, so large is the demand for 
the fronds to be used in their business of bouquet and wreath making. 
On what were the beds formerly occupied with Cucumbers on each 
side of the house, a shallow border has been made with cement. On 
this is laid about 3 inches thick of suitable compost, in which the 
Ferns are growing, I have never seen Ferns luxuriate so much as 
these, considering how little soil they have to grow in. Certainly the 
plan is a good one, judging from the results obtained.—E. M. 
- Hoya carnosa.—T his species of the honey plant is excellent 
for covering the back wall of a lean-to vinery, where it is so difficult to 
have anything to grow really well when the roof is completely furnished 
with Vines. We have a plant growing at the foot of such a wall in a 
narrow border in a mixture of peat, leaves, and loam, and which flowers 
freely every year. I counted three dozen fully expanded flower trusses 
the other day, the perfume emitted from each being quite pleasing, 
the heat and moisture required during the spring for the Vines just 
suiting this Hoya. During the winter it can withstand a low tempera¬ 
ture providing the roots are not kept loo moist.—E. M. 
- Seedsmen’s Varieties.—O ne result, and it is by no means 
a desirable one when a number of seedsmen’s prizes are competed for at 
the same exhibition, is to find of a dozen the same kinds of vegetables, 
for instance, that nearly all have diverse names, according to which firm 
the prizes may have been offered by. No wonder the public are con¬ 
fused when they find the same Tomato in one case as Perfection and the 
next as Matchless, or Cauliflower as Mammoth and Exhibition, or 
Long Pod Bean as Leviathan or Wonder, and Carrot as Gem or Marvel 
and so on. Of course, it is as patent as daylight that these diversely 
named varieties are identical. Gardeners cannot be deceived because 
they know better, and whilst we all most warmly admit the liberality 
of seedsmen in thus giving these prizes at shows and producing com. 
petition, it is indeed to be deplored that this loose method of nomen¬ 
clature should prevail.—X. 
- Rhododendron ponticum at Alton Towers. — In these 
days of general advancement we have so many beautiful hybrid Rhodo¬ 
dendrons to talk about and admire that the old-fashioned ponticum 
seems almost to be discarded altogether. Still it keeps on growing and 
flowering as luxuriantly as ever, as if quite regardless of the fact that it 
no longer comes under the notice of mankind as once it did. At Alton 
Towers this showy Rhododendron may be said to be perfectly at home. 
Huge clumps abound on every side, and these are now one mass of 
bloom, which give the place a most pleasing appearance. The pleasure 
ground is formed in a beautiful valley well studded with Cedars, 
Hemlock Spruce, and Copper-leaved Beech, and on the slopes rising up 
on each side are huge plantations of this Rhododendron. These were 
formerly planted as small seedlings, but have grown and spread to such 
an extent that at the present time it might be termed a “ forest of 
bloom.” To stand and look on this beautiful valley is almost enchanting. 
On every side are large masses of bloom, the slightly varying shades of 
flower contrasting perfectly with the dark foliage of the Copper Beech 
and the bright green of the new growth of the Cedar, while the gentle 
ripple of running water on almost every side adds life to the scene. 
The soil is of a light leaf-mouldy nature, in which Rhododendrons 
thrive famously. Every year hundreds of sturdy seedlings spring up, 
and these keep on accumulating until they become immense thickets, 
and the surrounding woodlands are stocked with large bushes of 
