DECEMBER. 
279 
in one season, but .two at least; and not only in one locality, but several—in Eng¬ 
land, Ireland, and Scotland. Before letting out, reports furnished from each party 
who grew them, would be a safe guarantee of their merits or otherwise. What is 
frequently good in one district, is equally as indifferent in another, and, for my 
own part, I put little faith in the judgment passed upon a bedding plant grown in 
a pot. The system of judging such things seems unnatural. 
The raisers of bedding Geraniums are, I fear, losing sight of one of the 
most important qualifications a bedding plant should possess—I need scarcely say 
I refer to habit. We are too prone to look at nothing but an immense truss of a 
given colour, often overlooking a dwarf habit with profuseness of blooming. 
Little David and Osborne’s Brilliant, I consider two very fair models of what con¬ 
stitute a really good bedder. Brilliant stands high in my estimation, as one by 
far the best for general purposes in the variegated section—at the same time, if 
variegation was better defined, it would make a great improvement. Little David 
stands still at the head of the plain-leaved scarlets. The practice of the present 
day seems too much after novelty, disregarding old friends who have served many 
good turns. Tom Thumb still stands Al, in certain districts; the field is all 
Tom’s own, notwithstanding such a host of rivals. I saw Tom this season in a 
cottager’s garden, and truly I never saw aught better in the scarlet section. 
Wrotham Park, Barnet . John Edlington. 
GARDENING IN ODD PLACES. 
There is nothing more true than that necessity is the mother of invention ; 
and a short time ago I saw this exemplified in a striking degree as applied to 
gardening. 
The taste of the age is for Ferns, variegated leaves, green leaves, and foliage 
of all descriptions large and small; and I was lately particularly struck on visiting 
a very noted place, to find the sort of place that this taste had called into use for 
its gratification. Some back sheds had been converted into Fern-houses on the 
most scientific and modern principles. Jutting rockwork rose up to the roof and 
covered the back wall; the same was introduced in the front with cocoa-nuts and 
old roots fastened up here and there to break the sameness and to make a better 
variety, or to be more conspicuous and more distinctly examined. The whole was 
as healthy and green as the most fastidious Fern-lover could desire. Between the 
jutting of the rocks was occasionally a large specimen ; and hanging down, and 
from prominent points were many of the creeping varieties. There could be no 
mistake about the place suiting them, as on the wood of some occasional lights 
introduced into the roof were quantities vegetating, and also in crevices of the 
part cemented, where any lodgement of something to exist upon had accumulated. 
It was a surprise to find so much interest and high cultivation in such an odd 
place. ____ P* 
VINES AT THE VINERY, GARSTON. 
I have been lately at The Vineyard, tasting and admiring Mr. Meredith’s 
wonderful Grapes. It is quite surprising to see the extraordinary large bunches 
of Barbarossa in that north house of his; I should think three bunches in that 
house would weigh from 27 to 29 lbs., and they are as black as jet. The Vines 
are only two years old. Black Alicante was also wonderfully fine. I saw six plants 
of it at Lord Derby’s that had only been planted twelve months. They had made 
most excellent canes, and had each a bunch weighing not less than 3 lbs.; and one 
of the Vines had two bunches on it. I have little doubt but this will prove to be 
one of the most useful Grapes grown; and it certainly is one of the handsomest 
bunches I have ever seen. Some bunches I saw of it at Mr. Meredith’s were 
marvellously fine ; and these wonderful Grapes are grown in a common shed 
covered with glass, and without any bottom heat. There are only two or three 
rows of pipes on the surface of the borders. 
J. Wills. 
