356 
October 18 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
scale, could be formed, and for the benefit of those who may 
be desirous of doing so a further reference to some of the plants 
grown for the purpose will be made in a future issue. 
Apart from the utility of hardy plants for outdoor decoration, 
no one can raise a doubt as to their value for supplying flowers for 
cutting. Provided the weather is fairly good an abundance of 
bloom may be obtained from a good collection of hardy plants for 
at least eight months in the year. The majority of the flowers, 
moreover, last for a considerable time when cut, and such can 
hardly be said of those procured from the more tender plants. 
In some cases the blooms may be cut before they are opened, thus 
avoiding their being spoilt by rain, and if placed in water indoors 
for a few days they will expand beautifully. Naturally the best 
blossoms are secured from well-grown young plants, and, where 
possible, it is advisable to have a number of specimens in reserve. 
These, too, will be equally useful for renovating the beds and 
borders, which should be done annually. It is an error, and one 
which frequently leads to much ultimate disappointment, on the 
part of many growers in leaving perennials to take care of them¬ 
selves. Because the plants are hardy, and will bear a moderate 
amount of rough treatment with impunity, it does not follow that 
they should be systematically neglected. This, however, is too 
often done, and to some extent is the reason hardy plants are not 
seen to advantage in some gardens. Times without number have 
writers possessing indisputable practical knowledge mentioned the 
folly of permitting the stronger and common occupants of the 
herbaceous border to outgrow the weaker and more choice kinds. 
Yet instances of this may be seen every day, and in perhaps 
50 per cent, of the gardens in the country. TVbuld that it were 
otherwise, and gardeners bestowed as much attention on the culti¬ 
vation of hardy plants as on the annual planting of summer flower 
beds, then we should have a deeper interest taken in them than 
even at present exists. 
No attempt has been made in the foregoing remarks to deal 
with the subject in an exhaustive manner, because this is imprac¬ 
ticable in a single article. Much might be written in favour of 
hardy plants, and doubtless a good deal could be said in regard 
to the manner in which many of them are now managed. These, 
however, are questions which arise more or less in the minds of all 
advocates, as does doubtless that of arranging the plants with 
regard to the colour of their respective flowers. It is evident that 
comparatively few growers seem to bear this important point in 
mind when planting hardy perennials, or we should assuredly never 
see the crude mixtures which are now too apparent. It is 
undoubtedly no easy matter to arrange plants of this kind to pro¬ 
duce an harmonious effect, because some of the flowers are here this 
week and gone the next, to be substituted by others of a different 
shade. Considering these continual transformations it is not sur¬ 
prising that some growers fail to construct a picture replete with 
harmonies or pleasing contrasts of colours, and the inexperienced 
may be allowed some latitude. At the same time it would be as 
well to improve this condition of affairs, and the matter, with 
others, may be advantageously discussed by all lovers of hardy 
plants, on the eve of the planting season.—C. 
THE APPLE CROP. 
From many quarters we hear reports of the scarcity of the Apple 
crop, not entirely owing to the severity of the frost in May, but to 
the long continued cold and sunless weather during the time the trees 
were in bloom, and through what should have been the initial 
swelling stage of the fruit. Such a season as the present is no 
doubt instructive with a view to future planting of trees whether 
we should depend so much upon the newer kinds for giving crops 
of fruit, or whether we ought not to more closely adhere to those 
sorts that have been unfailing in the main over so many j^ears. Of 
course I am alluding to quantities for market and home supplies 
rather than to exhibition fruits. For the latter purpose we must 
have the newer, shapely, and higher coloured specimens. For 
cooking and dessert purposes these points are not quite of such an 
imperative character. 
The kind of weather we experienced also during the time the fruit 
is swelling has much to do with the success of certain varieties, whether 
they will be appreciated in the market or not. Ecklinville, a well 
known and excellent culinary Apple, was so affected by the exces¬ 
sively dry weather of last year that the fruiterers in some towns 
would hardly have them at a gift, whereas this year the same persons 
are glad to pay 8s. per bushel for picked samples. Last year the 
fruit was badly “ specked ” owing to the drought, these black dis¬ 
figurations of the skin being not merely skin deep, but they penetrated 
quite half an inch in many instances. Altogether the fruit was soft 
and not what fiuiterers require, as owing to the many times it must 
be handled that first affected is more liable to suffer. This year the 
fruit is more firm in texture and less affected by “ spot,” and as 
this Apple is bearing good, and in some cases heavy crops, it is 
decidedly useful. From Dr. Hogg’s “ Fruit Manual ” I learn that 
Ecklinville was raised in Ireland about the beginning of the p>resent 
century. 
Lane’s Prince Albert has surprised me more than any other sort 
this year. This I had regarded as a certain cropper, but with me the 
trees (100) are practically fruitless. I never saw the foliage on any 
tree so sickly looking, and so unlikely to be the means of giving 
US a full fruit crop next year as upon that sort at the present time. 
Warner’s King is with me an especial favourite, it seems so well 
adapted for our heavy soil. I think, however, it is better grown as 
a freely trained bush than as a standard. In this latter form it 
seems to lose its vigour after being planted fifteen years or so. I 
have one particular tree trained as a bush that has not failed to give 
us a full crop of fruit once during the last thirteen years. No 
kitchen Apple that I know sells more readily, or commands a higher 
price than this. I have several hundred trees that have been planted 
four years, and are now well established. They bore excellent fruit 
last year, but this season the crop is very thin indeed upon the same 
trees, yet they blossomed freely. 
Lord Grosvenor has again proved itself a valuable culinary 
Apple to plant. It has cropped fairly well, the fruit swelling to a 
good siee without any special attention. The first week in August 
this variety was realising the highest prices. For general planting 
it is superior to Lord Suffield,as it will grow well in any soil, whereas 
the latter is fickle. Stirling Castle is another deserving kind, carry¬ 
ing a full crop in spite of the same trees bearing heavily last year. 
For those with but a limited garden space this is perhaps the best 
kitchen Apple to plant. Mere de Menage has again given full crops 
of highly coloured fruit. It is a good kind to plant in heavy soil. 
Alfriston is a failure, and so are Wormsley Pippin and Tov/er of 
Glamis. 
Amongst newer kinds Bismarck has a part of a crop, but Belle 
Pontoise is laden with highly coloured fruit. Schoolmaster set a 
heavy crop, but scarcely any^ swelled to a useful size ; the fruit 
appeared to be affected by the adverse weather. Peasgood’s 
Nonesuch, The Queen, and Frogmore Prolific aie total failures this 
year, 
Begarding dessert varieties, Cox’s Orange Pippin failed to set a 
twentieth part of a crop this year, whereas it produced such an 
abundant one last season. I have no doubt this failure is partly due 
to exhaustion last summer consequent upon the weight of fruit borne 
and the dry season experienced, which must of necessity deprived 
the trees of support. Devonshire Quarrenden, one of the best early 
market Apples, had but a partial crop, and Blenheim Grange none. 
The trees of this magnificent Apple look the picture of health this 
year, and may make amends next season for the present short crop. 
Too much wet now though must render the trees more liable to 
canker during the coming winter. Benoni is a total failure. Beauty 
of Bath, although a handsome Apple, seems exceptionally shy in 
bearing while in a young state ; the same r< mark is applicable to 
Gascoigne’s Scarlet Seedling. Baumann’s Red Reinette is a useful 
Apple, and worthy of a place in any garden on account of the sure 
crop, small space required, and length of time it will keep in good 
condition. Mr. Gladstone seems unable to even make satisfactory 
growth during an unfavourable season, let alone give us a crop of 
fruit. 
Red Astrachan, one of the finest of early market Apples, has 
been exceolionally scarce this y^ear. Irish Peach suifeted much by 
a fungus that fastened on to the skin of the fruit early in the 
summer, thus preventing its expansion, consequently the bulk of the 
fruit on heavy land cracked and was useless. The old Ribston 
Pippin is fairly well laden with good fruit on some trees, while others 
are fruitless. Even the generally sure cropping Beauty of Hants, which 
I regard as an inferior type of Blenheim Orange, is devoid of a crop. 
Worcester Pearmain has a full supply on trees that bore little or no 
fruit last year ; on others the reverse is the case. This is an Apple 
that might with advantage be extended in numbers, its handsome 
skin will always command a good price. In my opinion the future 
