30 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 12, 1894. 
their fruit to perfection by the extraordinary hot weather and 
parching winds which have prevailed during the past three weeks. 
Disasters are not pleasant to talk about, but one can often learn 
something from them, and I thought it would perhaps be worth 
while to chronicle the few exceptions to the rule of this season’s 
failure, in order to see if your correspondents’ experience in other 
localities in any way coincided. 
Amongst early varieties John Ruskin stands conspicuous, 
bearing a full crop of fair sized fruits, and of excellent flavour. 
King of the Earlies being a variety with but little foliage to 
protect it, is a total failure. La Grosse Sucree has only a few 
second blooms which have carried fruit, and Noble has even less. 
Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury, one of the most hardy varieties we 
possess, is almost fruitless ; Pauline, Rivers’ Ebza, and Scarlet 
Queen a quarter crop. White Knight has not a fruit on a bed. 
President, Dr. Hogg, Jas. Veitch, and Barnes’ Prolific are in nearly 
the same condition. Sir Joseph Paxton has a quarter crop, whilst 
Commander has a full crop. 
Amongst the later kinds Eleanor, Elton Pine, Frogmore Late 
Pine, and Loxford Hall are total failures. Latest of All one-third 
of a crop, Waterloo a good half crop if the longed-for rain comes 
to save them, and Jubilee, a very heavy crop of very fair quality. 
This variety has a few fruit ripe now, and a succession which 
should last a fortnight. 
I have given as a cause of the failure of King of the Earlies 
its scant foliage, but I think the reason is hardly a good one, for 
surely the foliage of Scarlet Queen is ample enough, and so is that 
of Vicomtesse Hericart de Thury and President, whilst two of the 
kinds which have done well—viz., John Ruskin and Commander, 
have poor protection, the former having little foliage, and the latter 
carrying its blooms on footstalks well over the tops of the leaves. 
Again, Waterloo has but little protection, but it blooms late, and 
on very short stalks. Can it be there is anything in the breeding 
of Strawberries which conduces to hardiness ? Perhaps some of 
our raisers can tell us. John Ruskin, Commander, and Jubilee 
are the only kinds amongst the older varieties which can be called 
a success this year. 
Turning to the newer varieties Royal Sovereign ranks first. 
We had only a bed of one-year runners which were allowed to 
fruit, but nearly every bloom set, and the fruit has been excellent. 
The constitution of the plant seems all that could be desired. 
Sensation (speaking from a very limited experience) seems a 
Strawberry gone mad. It grows like a Willow, and throws out 
such foliage and runners that the plants will require a small plot 
each to develop, carrying a half crop of very large fruit not yet 
ripe. Lord Suffield is a good half crop, but not ripe. Albert, 
robust habit, very late, fair crop. Empress of India and Gunton 
Park we must wait until another year, and hope for a less 
severe spring frost before we can speak about them here.— 
A. H. Pearson, Chilwell Nurseries, Beeston. 
An Improved Chrysanthemum Cup and Tube. 
Mr. E. Beckett, The Gardens, Aldenham House, Elstree, Herts, 
sends us a sample of his improved extension Chrysanthemum cup and 
tube, which for simplicity and durability is perhaps unequalled. The 
new feature in the cup is that it can be raised or lowered in the tube 
by turning the screw and without taking the stem of the flower out of 
the water. There is also an improved grip for holding the stem of the 
bloom. The article is made of brass, and in different shapes to suit all 
kinds of flowers. It is the best invention of the kind that has been 
brought to our notice, and will no doubt become popular with exhibitors. 
The makers are Messrs. W. M. Still & Co., 24, Charles Street, Hatton 
Garden, E.C. 
National Chrysanthemum Society’s Annual Outino. 
The members of the National Chrysanthemum Society will hold 
their annual outing on Monday, July 23rd. The members will travel to 
Windsor by the Great Western Railway, embark on two steam launches 
at Thames Side, Windsor Bridge, proceed up the river to Bourne End. 
After dinner the launches will steam up the river as far as possible, 
returning to tea at the Quarry Hotel, and from thence to Windsor. The 
charge for the day, including return fare from Paddington to Windsor 
and back, boat, dinner, and tea, will be 9s. 6d. to members, and 
10s. 6d. to non-members. Members joining the party at Windsor or 
Maidenhead will pay 7s. 6J., and non-members 8s. 6d. Applications for 
tickets should be made to Mr. Richard Dean, Ranelagh Road, Ealing. 
CLEMATIS COUNTESS OF ONSLOW. 
At the meeting held at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on the 2()th ult, 
Messrs. G. Jackman & Co , Woking, exhibited a plant of a new hybrid 
Clematis named Countess of Onslow. It is the result of a cross between 
C. coccinea and the variety Star of India, and was raised by the above 
mentioned exhibitors, to whom a first-class certificate was awarded on the 
occasion referred to by the Floral Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. As depicted in the engraving (fig. 6, page 37), the flowers are 
inclined to be trumpet shape, while the colour may be designated a rich 
reddish purple, with bands of deep scarlet. The foliage resembles that 
of C. coccinea, and although perfectly hardy, Messrs. Jackman & Son 
inform us that this Clematis is well adapted for growing in a con¬ 
servatory. It is a good grower and of a climbing habit. 
SYRINGING “MALMAISON” CARNATIONS. 
“Come and see my Malmaison Carnations grown on the non- 
syringing system.” Such was a message received from Mr. C. A. Young, 
who was some few years ago gardener to the late Joseph Evans, Esq., 
Hurst House, Prescot, but now carrying on a successful business as 
nurseryman and florist at West Derby. Knowing him to be an old 
reader of the Journal of Horticulture, I was convinced that he was 
interested in the articles on syringing Carnations which have been 
appearing for the past few weeks in its pages, for “ Malmaisons ” are 
Mr. Young’s speciality. 
Picture a long span-roofed house containing 2000 healthy plants of 
such sorts as Prince of Wales, the Old Blush, Lady Middleton and Baron 
Rothschild, all just expanding their blooms ; and I leave readers to 
judge whether the opinion of such a grower is worthy of consideration. 
“ Are you in favour of Malmaisons being syringed, or would you adopt 
it generally ? ” I asked Mr. Young. “ Certainly not, for it is a practice 
if carried on by others than the most skilful cultivators would certainly 
end in failure, therefore I should not recommend it.” On requesting a 
few items as to how be succeeds so admirably Mr. Young said :—Layer 
early in frames filled with light soil, do not overpot, stand the pots on a 
cool bottom, give free ventilation but avoid draughts, water most care¬ 
fully, for this is of more importance than anything else, shade moderately 
during bright sunshine, only giving just sufficient heat to keep out the 
frost. If this is carefully followed out we should hear very little of 
failures with Malmaison Carnations. So I thought, as I saw the plants 
in such excellent condition. 
If more proof is wanted regarding these beautiful flowers there are 
many celebrated gardeners in this district (Liverpool) who, having seen 
them, could testify that no amount of syringing could keep plants in 
better condition than those grown on the non-syringing principle by Mr. 
Young, One more word, which may not be out of place whilst speaking 
of Carnations. Two shelves running the whole length of the house 
contained pots of Carnation Mrs. Reynolds Hole placed thickly together. 
The flowers were trained to meet each other, and formed a perfect canopy 
of bloom.—R. P. R. _ 
I AM in hopes that the discussion re syringing Malmaison Carnations 
will bring out some hints from our most not^ cultivators, and although 
I do not syringe the plants I will not maintain that the practice is 
wrong. I have not the slightest doubt that syringing in many cases 
is beneficial, particularly in a high and dry locality ; or where the 
stages and floors in the houses are of slate or any other dry substance, 
and the structures themselves are narrow, light, and have an arid 
atmosphere. 
In my case the plants are grown, when young, in cold frames, 
wintered in a Peach house on a shelf near the side ventilators and 
flowered in a greenhouse where both floors and stages are covered with 
shingle. The houses are low, consequently the atmosphere is moist, so 
that syringing is not practised. I have at present a good show of bloom 
with which all concerned are perfectly satisfied, but I would like to be 
able to produce them about two months in advance of this date. 
Careful watering seems to me to be of the utmost importance, and 
during the winter the plants under my charge are kept rather dry. As 
a stimulant I have so far used nothing but soot.—W. J. Ireland. 
Disease in Carnations. 
I WAS pleased to see the note on this subject (page 3) by Mr. Martin 
R. Smith, because his experience exactly coincides with my own, and 
the minute description given by him of the most troublesome form of 
fungus which attacks Carnations will enable cultivators to distinguish 
from which of the several kinds of disease their plants are suffering. 
My experience teaches me that syringing, as I previously advised, 
prevents to a great extent the spread of all forms of fungus, because 
the spores lose their most potent qualities if damped ; but I am at pre¬ 
sent trying several experiments in that direction, and hope to say more 
about the matter later on. 
I have frequently noticed how plants that have done flowering 
improve after they are placed in the open air, especially during very 
wet periods. A few weeks ago I noticed some plants of “ Malmaison ” 
Carnations in a neighbour’s garden. They had been in the open air 
throughout the winter, and although we had then just experienced a 
few weeks of cold, wet weather, not the slightest trace of disease could 
