30 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 4, 1860. 
cup, if no7>Sier grower can make a better bit. He says 
no kind will ever take a first prize from a “ first Inal,” 
or the first show for bloom on bis system of growing the 
plants; because tbe enormous strength be gets id to bis 
shoots, and having so very few flowers to carry, tbe first 
show would have tbe flowers “ in all manner of ways,” 
and would be neither one thing nor tbe other. That truth 
I proved by direct experiment on eight of tbe largest 
kinds when tbe Russians first crossed tbe Prutb; but 
tbe Crimean war pat a stop to my ambition to beat in 
Chrysanthemums—I only beat myself, and that most 
completely. My plants were in a rich border trained to 
a west wall, and kept to one stem tbe whole season, and 
to one or two flowers to each plant without ever stopping 
one of them, and of all tbe frights I ever saw that was 
■the worst. Yet, strange to say, if you grow your plants 
to be seen in noble specimens of good gardening, tbe 
best plan is never to stop a shoot from first to last. 
That is Mr. Holmes’ plan. He, too, takes no other than 
the best suckers from near the surface of the bal 1 , one 
for a 60-pot; and as soon as the pot is quite full of j oots, 
he shifts at once into the blooming-pots for his mode— 
the best mode for all private growers. 
There are some kinds which must be once stopped, or j 
rather the first flower-bud must be destroyed, and the 
next furnish the large blooms, and these two he has 
shown in his catalogue by figures 1 and 2, according as 
the kind suits best: that is the great step to know 
w'hen one wants to take a prize. His own explanation of 
the process is this : “ I have by figures 1 and 2 intimated 
which buds should be taken to insure fine, full, and 
perfect blooms. The varieties with the figure 1 prefixed 
indicate that the first bud should be taken. Those with 
figure 2 indicate that the second bud should be taken in 
preference to the first—for this reason, that the first bud 
of these varieties is generally too full of petal, and too 
coarse and confused for exhibitional purposes.” 
Those who mean to try their luck in the count) y for 
prizes should get hold of such good catalogues for a few 
penny stamps. Mr. Holmes has all his, the balls of the 
earliest Chrysanthemums, and the best of the new kinds, 
planted already out of pots, in wide pits which he can 
heat top and bottom, in order to make sure of a good 
crop of first-rate cuttings for next spring. 
D. Beaton. 
CULTURE OE THE GLADIOLUS. 
I find a common prejudice amongst my friends that G’adioli 
arc difficult to manage. I have grown them under very unfavour¬ 
able circumstances for eight years in a shady and damp town 
garden, and am sure that any one who pleases may succ ed as 
well. 
The only sorts I should recommend to beginners are tho e sold 
as varieties of Gandavensis ; and even they'vary very much in 
their habit, and of some of them I can make nothing. I mention 
the following cheap kinds, on which the experiment of growing 
them may be tried; they may all be bought at prices varying 
from 4 d. to Is. Gd. :—Adonis, pale flesh; Aglae, sa'inon” 
Brenchleyensis, scarlet ; Courante fulgens, scarlet; Gaathee, 
blush ; Imperatrice, light blush ; Mathilde de Landevoisin, 
nearly white; M. Vinchon, salmon. I have proved all these 
kinds by several years’ growth, and select them for their vigorous 
habits. The situation cannot be too open, or the soil too hght if 
good. Let the soil be well worked to a depth of two feet. If 
it is stiff Mr. Standish recommends burning half of it; but 
this is no very easy process if for a large border. If you c; n get 
river or pit sand, mix it with the soil in abundance. You cannot 
use too much leaf mould in growing them. Well-rotted cowdung 
is very good. Use these in what proportions you please,, pro¬ 
vided the soil is well drained, deep, fight, and rich. 
In my garden, where the soil is not stiff, but where the situation 
makes it damp, I dig a trench two feet in width and depth, and, 
taking away half the soil, replace it by pit sand and r ddled 
rubbish heap in equal parts. I add as much leaf mould as I can 
afford, giving perhaps a peck to each clump of bulbs. I recom¬ 
mend the first week in April for ^planting. a Cover the bulbs 
three or four inches deep. The time of flowering varies from the 
beginning of August to the middle of October. If dry they 
should be well watered whilst in bud. I take them all up before 
the end of October, whether the leaves have begun to turn or 
not. The colder the bulbs are kept in winter, if dry and free 
from frost, the better. I should like to see this beautiful flower 
in more general request. 
THE LATE SEASON at ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE. 
The past season has been like what a navvy said about the 
seasons at Woodliead—a place on the Manchester and Sheffield 
Railway. When asked how he liked that part of the country 
he replied, “ Oh, beautiful! There is nine months winter and 
three months cold weather there.” So we may say of the past 
year about here. Kidney Beans, few of us in this part had any 
except under cover, and Peas were a total failure—from eleven 
twelve-yard rows we did not get three pecks. Greens have dene 
pretty fair; and at our place we had some pecks of Mushrooms 
from a heap of manure placed under a tiffany-shed. 
In the flower garden Calceolarias, Saponarias, German Stocks 
and French Marigolds produced us the most flowers. We 
bedded out forty dozen of Verbenas, the same of Tom Thumb 
Geraniums, but had scarcely as many flowers the whole season. 
Apples that are exhibited generally from seventeen to twenty 
ounces each in weight were shown from seven to ten this year. 
As you hinted some time since that you would like parties to 
send word what Greens stood best last winter in their different 
localities, I avail myself of the present opportunity. Curled 
Borecole and Brussels Sprouts weathered the storm here. 
Flowering Broccolis, Cabbage plants, and even Savoys died off’ 
early in the season. To make up for this sad loss various 
expedients had to be resorted to. I had a lot of Swedes and 
started them in an early vinery, forced as much Sea-kale as 
possible inside, grew Kidney Beans as early as possible inside. 
Mint, Thyme, Sage, and many other things perished.—J. Hague. 
NOTES ON VERBENAS. 
(Continued from page 105.) 
Lord Canning flourishes in a more congenial climate; but as 
his term expires next March, he would, if a good place was 
found for him, show us how he looked in his rosy lilac dress 
with a white eye. Madame Large did not think it any disgrace 
if she did blush very rosy, and her dark eye sparkled when she 
was surrounded by the elite of society. Variegated Defiance 
I wished it to be distinctly understood that there was no gold 
permanently about him—it was only a farce to expect it, and 
those who did were greener, than his leaves were. Madame 
Denis Blair did not think but that she might have a scarlet- 
shaded dress though it was poor; it would have looked brighter 
if there had been any sun. Monsieur Denis Blair thought it 
would quite kill him, and, indeed, he did look miserable. Sir J. 
Lawrence knew he was a public servant, but he had seen too 
many bright skies to put up with the Derbyshire summer of 
1860. Venus was surprised that she should be placed in such 
company, and she ivould not let us admire her. She knew she 
-was pretty and had a good eye, but she would not be laughed at 
when Ben Bolt was throwing his Btrong arms about and looking 
j so rosy, and great Triumphant running all round her with liia 
j rich, violet, rose-shaded dress. Sir J. Outran) retired for the 
season; his health was bad. Prima Donna once, and only 
once, smiled at her neighbour, Paul Pirini, showing himself off 
so well against Satanella, who could scar. ely exist; while Sou- 
venir de l’Exposition was placed as a remembrancer, and would 
do her duty, as much as to say, “ I am very pretty, am I not ? ” 
And so she was. Matilda was only fit for select company—so 
very delicate she would die. She might do in a warm lady’s 
place, but not here; and the Princess Clothilde laughed till she 
! was a deep rosy scarlet—and well she might, to see poor Sir 
, Joseph Paxton on her other side shivering with cold and trying 
to put on his rosy crimson coat, but could not. Verdii was even 
worse—he would not grow or bloom at all; wdiile the Norfolk 
Beauty could only open her eyes partially, preferring the south 
side of a wall. Madame Lamoriciere still held up her old striped 
banner. Mars (Sankey’s) could not kindle his fight, the clouds 
being too dark. Madame de la Valliere changed her dress from 
a French white ground to a dark lavender one splashed occa¬ 
sionally with white. Viscomtesse de Balleval was true to 
