422 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
No7ember 8,1894 
reasonable person to believe it is anything else but a peculiar 
literary touch in his peculiar article, unless he is able to say he has 
given the name of his nobleman to the Editor, We are at least 
entitled to that evidence of good faith. Clearly “ A Sceptic ” is 
not a gardener, and that will account to some extent for his ripe 
wood nonsense. If he is a gentleman he will frankly say whether 
he has sent the Editor the name and address of this nobleman or 
not.—A Gardener. 
Your correspondent’s (“ A Sceptic ”) story of Lord So-and-so 
is an insult to your readers. “A Sceptic” says, “ The splendid 
range of vineries elicited a chorus of admiration from the guests.” 
So far, well; but what I want to know is why “ A Sceptic ” con¬ 
cludes his rambling letter by saying that this very man. who by his 
abilities as a cultivator “ elicited a chorus of admiration,” is sneer- 
ingly called an “unsuccessful employe ?”—W. Clark. 
The continual amplification of the word “ fudge ” by “ Sceptic,” 
proves nothing. He does not advance a single substantiated fact 
in support of his views, nor yet does he even give the vestige 
of a name for what he would set up in the place of ripened wood. 
He declares that there is no such thing as ripened wood, and any 
reference to it he dubs as “hysterical gush.” Then he states that 
wood is efficiently ripened this year, and dares any assertion to 
the contrary. After this he discovers that it is a difficult problem 
to solve, whether or not, that there is such a thing as ripened wood 
and continually “ begs the question,” for of logical argument we 
have not a trace from him. 
If inconsistency can be carried further, he does not fail us in 
this respect, when comparing “ J. A.’s” valuable article (page 381) 
with my own, written on popular lines, describing the elaboration 
of starch, &c. (page 380). After he practically accepts the prin¬ 
ciples laid down by “J. A.,” “Sceptic” rushes blindly upon his 
fate by a wholesale condemnation of my simple description, 
wherein there is not a single point advanced by myself but what 
“ J. A.’s ” more scientific article covers and verifies, and I venture 
to affirm that no one will more enjoy the laugh at “Sceptic’s” 
presumption than will “ J. A." himself. “ Sceptic’s ” nonsense re 
the “ luminous envelope ” of the sun is only worthy of the man 
who takes a dizzy flight beyond the regions of space in search of 
the law of gravity, and then with “gravity ” informing us that the 
sum total of solar influences is gravity ; no wonder after this he 
confounds the actinic properties of light with “solar radiation.” 
I opine the readers of the Journal, along with myself, will decline 
to be put right in their physiology by “ Sceptic ” as decidedly as 
they object to his unripened wood nonsense. 
Evidently “ Sceptic’s ” scientific disquisitions are on a par with 
his practical knowledge, and his sneers at German science and 
Sach’s experiments only emphasise his folly by starting a crusade 
against a theory which has been thoroughly tested and verified, 
and will stand long after “ Sceptic ” has become ashamed of his 
myth without a name or substance to give to it a shadow of 
plausibility. 
“Sceptic” confesses to fits of disgust, and on the same lines 
charges me with being indignant at his scepticism. I can safely 
assert that if ever my feelings rose to the above perfervid con¬ 
dition they would have subsided into quite a different state after 
reading his precious mealy bug story (page 402), which every 
sensible reader of the Journal will accept as an insult to his 
intelligence. It is too obviously paltry to need refutation.— 
Azoto. 
However undesirable it is to repeat previous statements, it 
appears to be imperative to do so in this case. One locality 
specially favoured cannot afford the basis for a subject which is at 
least as broad as the British Isles are wide. My experience, what¬ 
ever it may be worth, is derived from many seasons and various 
localities, stretching from “sunny Kent”to “the Land o’ Green.” 
“ Sceptic ’’asks, “ Will I assert that wood this year is not sufficiently 
ripened ? ” Aye, will I ! I know it to my cost already, in spite of 
especial means taken to obtain tbe benefits of each straggling ray. 
This reply should have been given last week, but I waited to see 
what he had to give us this week. Alas ! instead of bread, I find 
he has flung a stone at us in the anecdote of “ Lord So-and-so’s 
vineries,” but which points no moral, and it is a question whether 
it adorns a tale. 
From a gardener’s point of view “ Azoto’s” article (page 380) 
appears to cover the whole question, and the scientific matter from 
the pen of “ J. A.” should satisfy those desirous of penetrating the 
secrets of Nature. From the latter “Sceptic” has apparently 
gathered some crumbs of comfort, but wherein does it differ from 
the former in substance ? 
It cannot be but a matter for regret with those interested that 
“ A Sceptic ” still withholds a definition of his ideas, but has rather ' 
shown some ingenuity in evading the main points. His line of 
argument crosses and recrosses in a perplexing manner. One week 
the “ intelligent foreigner ” is held up for our edification, the next 
week to be condemned for “ scientific opinions made in Germany.” 
Not only does he attack the whole body of British gardeners, but 
will “not be surprised ” if the teachings of science “are exploded 
before long.” Well, we will wait for the explosion, and only hope 
that “ A Sceptic ” will live to build up something better from 
the debris than the too laboured effusion on mealy bugs.— 
E. K., Dublin 
Probably never before in the history of fruit growing have so 
many Pears been produced in England as during tbe present 
season. In nurseries and private gardens, subject to exceptions 
from local causes, trees have been laden, thousands of them much 
too heavily, with fruit. Markets have been supplied with home¬ 
grown Pears in such bountiful prodigality as has never been seen 
before, and prices have never been so low in consequence. 
The maturation of the wood or its storage with nutrient matter, 
under the influence of the proverbially fine summer and favourable 
autumn of last year, conduced directly to the formation of fruit 
buds, and the weather being favourable during the blossoming 
period, crops set well. Moreover, the Pears having fairly com¬ 
menced swelling, as well as being materially protected by expanded 
foliage on the 20th of May, passed through the memorable frost to 
which Apples, then blossoming or setting, were more fully exposed 
at a critical time, and the crops were therefore ruined. 
Apple blossom was as abundant as Pear blossom, and for the 
same reason, and Apples would have been as plentiful as Pears 
this year but for that terrible frost, except in the case of exhausted 
trees and consequent imperfect blossoms. On healthy and well 
managed trees the crops would have been as abundant as they were 
on orchard house trees, of which the wood was exceptionally well 
matured and the blossoms protected. 
After visiting nurseries and fruit gardens in many districts, 
also adjudicating at various shows, I am satisfied as to the abun¬ 
dance of Pears and the paucity of Apples, also that unripe wood 
did not produce the Pears nor matured wood prevent the Apples. 
Is it not better to recognise facts than to indulge in wholly needless 
epithets and unworthy insinuations, the usual betrayers of a weak 
case ?—A Judge. 
JOHN DOWNIE CRAB. 
This excellent variety is not yet so generally known as its great 
merits deserve, and so far a knowledge of it is confined more to the 
Midland counties, of which Staffordshire is a centre. It was raised in 
the Whittington Nurseries, Lichfield, some few years since by that 
very much respected old nurseryman, Mr. Holmes, formerly of the 
well-known firm of Messrs. Fisher & Holmes (now Fisher, Son, and 
Sibray), Handsworth Nurseries, Sheffield. I saw more than once the 
original tree in bearing in the nurseries, and was astonished with its 
beauty as an ornamental fruit bearing tree, with its large acorn-shaped 
fruit so bright in colour, and so profuse a bearer. The Whittington 
Nurseries have ceased to exist, and Mr. Holmes has joined the great 
majority, and at the clearance sales trees were purchased by local 
nurserymen and private growers, therefore this fine variety is now in 
the collections of all the leading trade cultivators. 
I saw recently two trees in full bearing in the gardens belonging to 
the Sheriff of Lichfield, and they were truly beautiful objects, loaded 
with fine fruit and brilliant in colour. Since then I saw trees in full 
bearing in Mr. White’s Nurseries at Worcester, where our leading hardy 
fruits receive full attention. I draw attention to this variety at this 
planting season because I think our shrubberies may be made more 
ornamental and useful by planting the better kinds of Crabs and 
Damsons instead of the commoner trees so generally used. What can 
be more beautiful than the old scarlet Siberian Crab when in fruit and 
richly coloured ? Then the fruit of John Downie, which is large and 
fleshy, makes admirable jam, and is by no means to be despised at 
dessert.—W. D. 
PROGRESS OF GARDENING—IMPROVEMENT OF 
POTATOES. 
In Mr. Pettigrew’s dictum on the “ Progress of Gardening,” page 397, 
it seems strange to me that he should lay down the law so adversely as 
to points of quality appertaining to our present race of Potatoes. His 
decision caused me to mb my eyes, and to wonder whether my life’s 
work anent the improvement of the noble tuber has been all a myth. 
Mr. Pettigrew cannot have tasted my improvements in the esculent. I 
well knew the old Dons, both Early, Striped, and Late, and if Mr. 
Bintoul was alive to eat and compare them with, let me say briefly 
Ringleader, Early Regent, and Fiftyfold, three of my seedlings in 
commerce at the present day, I feel quite a different conclusion would 
be given from that of Mr. Pettigrew. I will further say that the 
majority of our English Potatoes are up to date, and can take their 
place for progress, comparatively, with any of the other horticultural 
