RED HYBRID RHUBARB. 
391 
delighted by its delicious flavour, combined with an odorous acid 
yielding in fragrance only to the lemon. The third year it admitted 
of a sub-division, when one moiety was apportioned to Kirby-Hall 
gardens. During the following year, it was introduced at Thornville 
Royal, then the residence of Colonel Thornton, of sporting celebrity, 
from whence, about the year 1800, Mr. Seymour obtained a root, 
and transferred it to Carlton Hall, near Snaith, where it was pro¬ 
pagated with such success that he was soon enabled to form a plan¬ 
tation, and to extirpate each and every other homogeneous variety. 
This course has been adopted not merely at Carlton, but in every 
garden into which Watson’s hybrid has been introduced. In conse¬ 
quence of Mr. Seymour’s liberality, it now predominates in all the 
best gardens of that district. Many individuals who possess this 
plant have expressed an anxious solicitude respecting its origin. 
This circumstance must be my apology for prolixity in its history. 
I have applied the term bearded, as descriptive of one of its pecu¬ 
liarities ; for on the early developement of its leaves, they exhibit a 
hairy appearance, not dissimilar to the first budding of a beard. 
This phenomenon extends over the entire surface of the foliage, and 
becomes gradually less manifest as the leaf expands. When fully 
extended, it assumes a bright surface, and a deeper hue of colour 
than any other variety. 
The stalks are a deep bright red colour, both within and without, 
approximating to crimson. They maintain their colour throughout 
the process of cooking, thereby forming a desirable contrast with the 
pallid semblance of other varieties. Common Rhubarb, in its pre¬ 
paratory stages for the table, will, according to its state of succu- 
lency, dissolve, and form a syrup, in the proportion of from one half 
to two-thirds of its entire substance, whilst Watson’s hybrid, under 
the like processes, forms a dense pulp, resembling the pulpy consis¬ 
tence of the best baking apples, with the exception of its rich invi¬ 
ting colour, and more odorous acid taste. The flavour of Watson’s 
hybrid is directly opposed to any thing bitter or medicinal, and is 
eaten with avidity by many individuals, in a new unprepared state. 
As to early production we cannot contrast Watson’s hybrid with 
its rival “ Wilmot's,” though in other respects it acknowledges no 
rival. We are informed by Mr. Spring, of Temple-Bellwood, who 
cultivates Watson’s hybrid extensively, that he has plucked it for 
use on the fifth day of March, without any forcing or other aid than 
the advantage of a south border. At Doncaster, in the spring of the 
present year, it was ready for use on the first of April, and I am wil¬ 
ling to believe it will compete advantageously with Wilmot’s. With 
