4 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[JANUARY, 
well-marked contrasts. And not the least among these is the Lasiandra , or 
Pleroma Benthamiamm , which will grow as much as 8 ft. high in two or three 
seasons by planting it out and lifting, as many persons grow their Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. If kept a little close after being lifted, they soon recover, and the rich 
colour brings out the rather dull hues of many of the Chrysanthemums. There 
must be many good things for this purpose in this family alone. The dwarf kind 
referred to above, that is, the true P. macranthum , is more delicate, but still 
easy to grow, and I know of no colour to match it; even Pleroma elegans is not 
to be compared to it in the soft richness of its colouring, in which respeot, 
indeed, it is altogether unrivalled.—J. Fleming, Cliveden. 
VINE SPOET. 
RATHER singular circumstance has occurred in one of the Vineries here 
this season, which I am quite unable to account for. Some twenty years 
since a house was planted with Wests Black St. Peter’s Vines, and some ten 
years since Lady Downe’s Seedling and Black Alicante were inarched on to 
them. On one Vine three sorts were grafted, viz., Black Alicante , Trebbiano , 
and Golden Champion. All three rods bore their respective kinds of fruit cor¬ 
rectly enough ; but the latter sort, not being well adapted for hanging, and all 
the others in the house being late sorts, the rod of Golden Champion was cut 
clean out last January or early in February, when the Vines were pruned. In 
fact, it was cut off some inches below the place where the union of the stock and 
scion had taken place. Strange to say, however, the Trebbiano rod has this 
season produced on one spur, and that about the middle of the rod, or five or 
six feet from where it is grafted on the West’s St. Peter’s stock, a bunch of 
grapes of the true Golden Hamburg , all the other spurs upon the rod bearing 
the Trebbiano. Those who have seen it have been very much interested in the 
matter. Can any one explain this freak of nature ?—P. Grieve, Culford , Bury 
Si. Edmund’s. _ 
THE CULTUEE OF THE TOMATO. 
S the growing and liking for this wholesome fruit or vegetable is evidently 
increasing amongst all classes, perhaps a few observations on its culture 
and the best kinds for general growth, may be of some interest to the 
readers of the Florist. Having the advantages of a glass-covered wall, 
I have this year had a collection of all the kinds of Tomatos I could procure 
grown in it. I have likewise grown all the same sorts in the open air on the bottom 
of south walls, as well as some in pots, in heat, for early ripening. The following 
is a list of the varieties :— 
General Grant. 
Earley’s Defiance. 
Orangefield. 
The New Trophy is an exceedingly large-fruiting sort, some of them here 
measuring loin, in circumference ; but it is a late kind, and will only succeed 
New Trophy. 
Hathaway’s Excelsior. 
Large Red Italian. 
Now Early Dwarf Red. 
Powell’s Early Red. 
Koye’s Early Prolific. 
