T 
154 
THE FLOBIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[July, 
bright yellow. Mr. Baines adds, that since bis arrival in Durban, he has heard 
that Aloes similar, or nearly so, have been found in the Noodsberg. 
Another of the South-African species. Aloe Barharce^ is also growing in the 
fine collection of succulents in the Boyal Garden at Kew.—T. M. 
EENOVATING OLD STRAWBERRY-BEDS. 
t S I was allowed space for three articles in the Florist recently, I had 
determined on leaving its future pages to contributors more conversant 
with the higher walks of gardening; but an interesting paper on the 
X culture of this useful fruit, at p. 130, impels me to disclose a course of 
cultivation by which heavy crops may be taken from the same plants for many 
successive years. 
Three seasons ago, I purposed forming new beds, but the summer had been 
so dry that my plants were weak and insufficient in number. I desired my man 
to trim the old plants and remove all runners (this was in the September month), 
and hired a boy to collect from the cow-meadow barrows of the fresh droppings. 
This substance was applied very unsparingly, filling up even all the channels 
between the rows, and making all the bed a perfect level. The winter rains 
dissolved and washed the whole into the ground. The result was such a bloom¬ 
ing as I had never before seen, and the promise given by its beauty was realised 
by a wonderful produce. 
Last September I repeated the process, and now, while Strawberries are very 
scarce in the neighbouring gardens, mine are destroying each other by pressure 
and crowding, although we gather daily for dessert and presents, and every third 
day for the kitchen. It is well known that old strawberry-plants are sustained 
by their surface-roots ; and these are profusely produced and fed by this cooling 
and harmless stimulant, and hence my success and the saving of trouble. The 
plants are now a foot high, in full health, and with dark and gross foliage. I 
shall take another crop by the same process.—G. D. 
LATE BROCCOLI. 
’ ATTELL’S Eclipse Broccoli is worthy of all Mr. Knight says of it, as being 
the best late sort to grow, to meet the first crop of spring cauliflowers. 
In fact, I think it is now the only sort that can be procured to meet the 
above desideratum. All so-called late sorts that were sent out to the 
public previous to this one of Mr. Cattell’s, have lost all their characteristics for 
lateness, and appear to have merged into those sorts adapted for March and 
April cutting. One sort in particular was, in my estimation, a good and desirable 
sort; that was Macfarlane’s, or, as it was sometimes called, Leslie’s Late White, 
a sort I hear nothing of now, because, I presume, its distinct character is gone. 
I am sorry to say that I find Oattell’s Eclipse is likely to follow in the same 
track, for I have grown it consecutively since 1866, and I find its tendency is to 
come earlier every season, as the major part of the crop was ready for use when 
