176 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 25, 1860. 
This fruit is at all times very late, and this year the season has 
been too late for it: consequently, only abortive or half-grown 
Nuts are the result. 
Gooseberries have been much under an average crop with 
us, but I believe this has not been the case in all places ; but all 
accounts agree in the fruit being deficient in flavour and very 
late in ripening. They would have lasted late in the season but 
for the rain, which made them burst. But I regard the short¬ 
ness of the Gooseberry crop as the smallest of the evils we have 
to complain of; for the growth of the tree has been healthy, and 
we are not unlikely to be favoured with a good crop next year, 
if all other things be favourable at the proper blossoming time. 
I cannot say I am so sanguine of many other tilings, but the 
Gooseberry tree is certainly more healthy than most other trees, 
and from that we may anticipate a corresponding good crop 
next year if all go on well. 
Currants. —These were on the whole good, both in quality 
and quantity. Red ones were, perhaps, smaller than usual, but 
the Black ones were a full average size, and both tolerably 
plentiful; and, like the Gooseberry, the season has not been so 
hurtful to them as to many other things, so that we may hope to 
be favoured with a crop of these next year. 
Raspeerry. —Of all the hardy fruits none have shown the 
effects of the late sunless season, in the absence of flavour, more 
than this. Raspberries everywhere were little else than a mass 
of tasteless watery juice. The fruit looked pretty well, and there 
was an average quantity of it; but it was very unlike the same 
fruit of the last two or three years. Some that ripened during 
the few dry days we had in the early part of July were not so 
insipid, but, before and after that time, the watery acidulous taste 
betokened too well that the season was not a suitable one for it. 
Strawberry. —The reports on these are more varied than that 
of any other fruit; for in some places there were scarcely any, 
while in others the crop was abundant. In one thing, however, 
all agree—that the quality was indifferent; not that they were 
small, but that they had no flavour, and Avould not bear hand¬ 
ling, while the perishing rains destroyed so many. The best 
variety that I saw in the past season Avas Trollope’s Victoria. 
It seemed to endure the unusual character of the season 
better than most others. Many of the lately-introduced kinds 
Avere poor, but they ought not to be judged too severely by 
their shortcomings in such a season as the past one has been. 
In drawing this report to a close, I hope some of our north 
and west-country friends Avill give us the benefit of their ob¬ 
servations on the fruit crops of their localities. Possibly their 
account may differ much from mine. All districts have not 
suffered alike from the cold and rain as we have in Kent.— 
J. Robson. 
A GENERAL FALLING OF LEAVES. 
I HAVE three plant-houses against a south wall, and a fan’ 
collection of stove and greenhouse plants. Within the last three 
Aveeks nearly all the plants have lost their leaves, especially the 
Camellias, which have lost every leaf. I feel very anxious about 
them, for they were such nice plants, and so well set with flower- 
buds. In many cases some of the plants have lost their little 
branches as well. If I just rap the stem of some of them down 
fall all the leaves—in fact, there is not a plant in any of the 
houses that has not this curious disease. The gardener cannot 
account for it, unless it be, he says, it lias arisen from an escape of 
gas, a pipe having been laid down a few yards from the back of the 
Avail about a month ago. We have not smelt the gas in any of 
the houses.—F lora B. 
[We can form no idea of the cause. It would take a good 
dose of gas to produce this effect. We knoAV that gas-lights are 
prejudicial to plants in rooms at all confined; but even in close 
rooms with plants in them, and some escape of gas, we never 
knew of such a thoroughly destructive result. We hope the 
Camellias will break again in a little moist heat. There might 
be a great escape of gas in one night, but then it is singular that 
all the houses should be affected, as it is hardly likely that all the 
houses would have a pipe full of leaks. We should like you or 
the gardener to give more particulars, and meantime can only 
sympathise with you both. Has any particular substance been 
used for fumigating, or washing, or Avatering ? or have the houses 
been recently painted with any particular paint ? Has there 
been any general want of watering, or as general a sudden 
variation of heat F] 
FLOODED GARDEN. 
I AM threatened Avith an inundation in the lower part of my 
garden, where young Apple, Plum, and Rose trees are growing, 
also Hollyhocks, Pampas Grass, with many ordinary perennials 
together, and two fine beds of Strawberries. The low-growing 
plants I expect will be covered, possibly a foot deep. Will all 
these things suffer so much as to perish altogether, if nothing is 
done to carry off the water sooner than it is likely to drain itself 
off ? It is generally supposed that springs do not exist here, only 
landsoaks. The water here, however, began to rise after the 
rains ceased, and has progressed steadily ever since. Does not 
this look as if the springs were the cause ? Will my lawn, too, 
suffer materially from the ducking ? The water will not be able 
to flow so as to undermine.— Gratitude. 
[We do not think that the inundation will permanently 
injure anything you mention, unless the plants remain under water 
for a long time. We know a garden that was flooded with salt 
water near Ipswich, and remained under water for some days. 
The Asparagus-beds were improved, and nothing injured. We 
were told by the proprietor, a man of science and veracity, that 
the Cherries in the following summer had a A r ery perceptible 
saline flavour. The facts you mention may be explained by 
supposing that there are springs, but it is quite certain that the 
water in your garden comes from some source on a higher level. 
We advise you by ditches to prevent a recurrence ot such in¬ 
undations, which might be easily done if you have an outfall.] 
FUCHSIA MAMMOTH. 
This extraordinary double Fuchsia was raised by Mr. George 
Smith, Tollington Nursery, Hornsey Road, Islington, aaLo has 
for many years been one of the most successful raisers of this 
class of plants. Our figure will give the best idea of the size 
and shape of the flower, the tube and sepals of which are crimson, 
and the corolla violet-purple, with a vermilion stripe half-way 
down each petal. It is certainly a very fine floAver. 
