82 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 12,1894. 
- We are requested to state that the first annual exhibition of 
the North Cardiganshire Horticultural Society will be held 
at Aberystwyth on August 22nd. 
- Gardening Appointment. —Mr. Alfred Lodge, formerly 
head gardener at Brougham Hall, Penrith, has been appointed head 
gardener to Lord Iveagh, Elvedon Hall, Thetford, Suffolk. 
- French Horticulturists. —We understand that the name 
of M. Druez, the President of the Northern Horticultural Society, of 
France, Lille, has been added to the roll of Chevaliers of the Legion of 
Honour ; and that of M. Saint Leger, the Librarian of the same Society 
and of the Lille Botanic Garden, to the distinguished list of Chevaliers 
of Agricultural Merit, 
- Celeriac should be grown on the level and not in trenches, 
a large Turnip-like root and not much top growth being most desirable. 
If the ground was heavily manured for early Cauliflowers this should 
require very little preparation for Celeriac. Merely hoe over the surface 
and clear off any weeds or rubbish there may be, and replant at once. 
Fifteen inches apart each way is enough space for the compact growing 
Continental varieties, but another 3 inches may be allowed the common 
form or that moat generally grown in this country. Keep well supplied 
with water during dry weather.— Grower. 
- American Apple Crop. —It is expected that the crop of 
Apples will be fully equal to that of 1892-93. According to the 
American papers, “ Kansas has a full yield, and many young orchards 
have come into bearing in that State this year. New York reports good 
prospects, especially in the Hudson River district ; and in the western 
part of New York State a fair to good yield is expected. Michigan, 
Mew Jersey, and Virginia will have a good crop of Apples. In the 
• Ontario district of Canada there is said to be a heavy growth. Nova 
Scotia will also market a good yield.” 
- Cyrtanthus O’Brieni.—T his is a new species named by 
Mr. Baker in compliment to Mr. James O’Brien of Harrow, who 
recently introduced it from Natal. The genus Cyrtanthus is an in¬ 
teresting one, all the species being pretty in flower, and their only 
drawback is the difficulty experienced in keeping them in good health 
in cultivation. There are, however, a few species which are as easy to 
manage as Lachenalias, and C. O’Brieni is one of them. It is near 
C. angustifolius and C. MacOwani, and these are near the common 
C. McKenii and C. lutescens. The new one, according to Mr. Watson 
in the “Garden and Forest,” bears tubular, bright, pale scarlet flowers 
in umbels of five to eight on slender scapes about a foot long. The 
leaves are linear and like those of 0. McKenii. 
- Cucumbers in Frames. —Plants growing in pits and frames 
the growths must be gone over regularly, cutting out those that are 
exhausted, training and earthing the plants as may be required, sprink¬ 
ling the foliage at about four o’clock. In dull periods keep the beds 
well lined, and admit air constantly by tilting the lights at the back. 
Keep the growths fairly thin, aiming at a supply of young shoots to 
supplant the exhausted, stopping one or two joints beyond the fruit. 
Ventilate early, just a little to allow of accumulated moisture escaping, 
increasing the ventilation with the advancing temperature, but keeping 
through the day at 80® to 85° or 90°, closing sufficiently early to insure 
the temperature rising to 90°, 95°, or 100°. Shade only to prevent 
flagging. If aphides appear fumigate two or three times, it being better 
to afford a moderate fumigation on two or three consecutive evenings 
than to give a strong dose, which often seriously injures the foliage.—A. 
- The Odour and Use of Onions. —The odour of this vege¬ 
table, which is what makes it so unpleasant, is due to a volatile oil, 
which is the same as that in Garlic, though in the Onion it is milder 
and naturally does not last so long. There are, besides, easy ways of 
removing at once all unpleasantness from the breath. A little Parsley 
or a few grains of Coffee, or even a swallow or two of milk, if taken 
after eating, proves an effective remedy. Boiled Onions are the least 
objectionable in regard to odour, and are as easily digested as any. The 
oil in the Onion passes off into the water in which the vegetables are 
boiled, and if the kettle be kept closely covered and the water changed 
after they have boiled five minutes, and then again ten minutes later, 
there will be no odour through the house, and the Onions will be white 
instead of grey, as they so often are. Besides being rich in flesh-forming 
elements raw Onions are especially good in breaking up a heavy cold ; 
they are also stimulating to fatigued persons, and are otherwise bene¬ 
ficial.—{“ Scientific American.”) 
- The “ Botanical Magazine.” —The July number of this 
periodical contains the following illustrations of plants :—Houlletia 
Landsbergi (Costa Rica), Gastrochilus Curtisi (Malay Peninsula), 
Colocasia antiquorum (India), ASschynanthus Hildebrandi (Burma)» 
Spathoglottis gracilis (Borneo). 
- A PURE YELLOW FLOWERED Canna is Something that florists 
have been working for for years without, until recently, success. They 
have it now though—a clear yellow, and without a trace of speck or 
strain of any colour in it. It belongs, says an American contemporary, to 
the Crozy section, and has nothing of the flaccida or Premices des Nice 
character about it. Its flower spike is bold, stiff, and strong, and rises 
well above the foliage, and the blossoms are firm and of good substance. 
- Late Celery, —Trenches should be dug at once for the latest 
crops of Celery. These will require to be moulded up heavily, and single 
rows will be found the most reliable. A heavy soil or water-logged site 
ought to be avoided. Such good red or pink varieties as Leicester Red, 
Major Clarke’s Solid Red, and Standard Bearer are suitable for main 
and late crops, the last named proving an excellent keeper. Do not 
delay planting after the plants are strong enough to be moved, as 
that is not an aid to the production of good late Celery, but rather the 
reverse.—W. 
- Hampshire Strawberries.—D uring the last two or three 
weeks enormous consignments of Strawberries have been sent to the 
London and provincial markets from Swanwick, Bursledon, Botley, 
and neighbourhood, many thousands of the now familiar cross-handled 
baskets having been dealt with by the Waterloo officials in that time. 
Some idea of the traffic may be gathered from the fact that on one 
morning no fewer than sixty pair-horse vans were required to cart the 
fruit to various London markets, the amount of labour involved in 
checking and making out accounts severely testing the parcel depart¬ 
ment staff at that station. 
- Melons Setting their Fruit. —Though artificial impreg¬ 
nation is not so essential now as early in the season, it is advisable to 
attend to it in order to secure an even set of fruit. If there is a difficulty 
in getting Melons to set in frames, apply good linings, and admit air 
freely, ventilating a little at night, so as to prevent the deposition of 
moisture on the blossoms, as to set the pollen must be dry and the 
stigmas not destroyed by moisture. Keep the foliage fairly thin, but it 
is not advisable to use the knife much during setting, still light and air 
is essential. Avoid giving air if it can be helped, yet the foliage must 
not flag.—H. R. 
- Royal Sovereign Strawberry. —I was very interested in 
Mr. Iggulden’s (page 7) remarks on the trial grounds of Messrs. Laxton 
Brothers, more especially the Strawberries, for which that firm are 
famous. I have tried every new variety sent out by the late Mr- 
Laxton in a town garden here, with a considerable admixture of lime 
rubbish, and so far think best of Royal Sovereign. The plants were in 
bloom when the severe frost (22° Fahr.) caught them, but apparently 
sustained little injury. The fruit ripened immediately after Noble, and 
ten days earlier than that magnificent Strawberry Auguste Nicaise. I 
am glad to learn Mr. Wright thinks so highly of Royal Sovereign in his 
excellent “Fruit Growers’ Guide.”—W. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
- Strawberries in Pots. —The outside Strawberries make a 
poor display as compared with the late ones in pots a short time since, 
the latter being over an ounce weight each. As runners come early, the 
best from one-year-old plants have been layered in 3-inch pots, into 
which strong loam was rammed, adding a quart of wood ashes and a 
similar quantity in equal parts of bonemeal and soot to every bushel 
of loam. The loam being turfy no manure was added, but when other¬ 
wise a fifth of fresh horse droppings is a decided advantage. My plan is 
to place a row of pots half plunged between every two rows of plants 
in the open, which leaves a space between alternate rows for operating 
in layering and watering. Strong runners are laid in the pots, one in 
the centre of each, a slight hole being made, and each secured with a 
peg made of galvanised wire (No. 12), cut in lengths of 2J inches, and 
doubled. With proper attention to watering the runners root quickly, 
and when the roots show at the bottom of the pots, and before they are 
rooted through into the soil, they are detached, stood under a north wall 
for a few days, and then potted. Runners are only taken from young 
vigorous plants, and such as have shown fruits. I still grow La Grosse 
Sucr^e and Vicomtesse H4ricart de Thury for early ; Noble, President^ 
Sir Joseph Paxton, Lucas, and Auguste Nicaise for general work; Sir 
Charles Napier, Dr. Hogg, British Queen, and Waterloo for late use. 
—G. A. 
