228 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 19, 1859. 
getieral these will show bloom the first season after planting; but, 
Sf course, if the plants are small, the bloom-truss will also be 
small. Some, in such cases, have complained that their plants did 
not bloom and fruit, when, in fact, the remains of the bloom-stalk 
were to be found, but never came to anything, because the 
plants at that critical time were checked by excessive heat and 
drought. Such plants, if not much injured, bloom well the second 
season. Though even here prudence should be exercised in not 
choosing runners from defective plants, yet there is less danger 
of perpetuating sterility than in the later kinds first alluded to. 
Like our correspondent, I have had very fertile runners from 
plants that had little or no bloom. It is seldom, however, that 
iu such kinds I have noticed the sterility extending over a second 
or third year. In his case, where the young plants w T ere fruitful, 
and the old plants nearly as sterile as at first, I should almost 
incline to think, in the case of Queens, that the plants had been 
kept growing too long in autumn, or had been injured by frost 
and wet in winter ; and the older such plants are, they are the 
more subject to such troubles. I recollect an instance of vigorous, 
strong plants receiving a heavy watering of rich warm manure 
water that passed through a heap of hot dung in the beginning 
of October, and the plants kept healthy and green the whole 
winter, but showed little and defective blossoms. In another 
case, a friend complained that his Strawberries were barren again, 
When on examining the buds we found that the rudiments of the 
Hower were black, and perished by wet and frost. Getting active 
growth arrested in autumn, and the buds well matured, are great 
essentials to success. Nevertheless, where time for noticing and 
marking all such things can be given, I would, in answer to one 
question say,—that in all cases I should prefer selecting runners 
from fruitful, rather than from unfruitful plants ; though in the 
case of these early ones referred to, I never found the advantage 
so marked and decided as in the later kinds. In fact, in these 
early kinds 1 seldom see any deficiency in fertility the second 
season, if the plants received due attention. 
To the other question, “ Is the first runner invariably a pro¬ 
ductive plant, and the second a barren ? ” I woidd say that no 
such law is general. Nay, that though the fertile plants of our 
correspondent were the first plants in the runner, showing that, 
in general, the matter is not of first moment, yet the result of 
carefully-conducted experiment years ago would lead me in 
choosing plants to reject the first, or the runner, and lay the 
second and third. After these latter were rooting, the first plant, 
or the runner, could bo slipt off with a knife without hurting the 
runner or destroying the connection between the other young 
plants and the main stool, until the young plants were able to 
provide for themselves. I have tried the experiment with Keens' 
especially in two ways—namely, three rows in a forcing-pit, the 
first row of the first plants, or the runners, the second ditto with 
the second, and the third ditto with the third, and three rows 
in the same manner out of doors. The first plants, or the 
runners, maintained their superiority all along for luxuriance and 
fine growth; but the second especially, and even the third, were 
the best for massive, abundant bloom. I expect I get them 
pretty well mixed, and have no reason to complain ; but were I 
able to bring experience and nicety to bear on these things, as 
amateurs can do, 1 should certainly prefer the second plant, or 
the runner. If others, on trial, should confirm this view, it will 
merely be another evidence that the extreme of luxuriance and 
the extreme, of fertility do not often meet together.—R. Fish.] 
GOLDEN HAMBURGH GRAPE. 
We are glad to find that this admirable Grape, of which we 
gave a figure and description at page 403 of Yol. XIV., still 
maintains the high character we originally formed of it. Nume- 
rous reports have been in circulation tending to drepreciate it 
in public estimation; but from what we saw recently at the 
Meeting of the Fruit Committee of the Horticultural Society 
tends fully to remove any such misconception, and to confirm 
us in the opinion we formerly expressed. 
At this Meeting Mr. James Veiteh, of the Exotic Nursery, 
Chelsea, offered a premium of Five Guineas for the best three 
bunches, for which there were three competitors—Mr. Tasker, of 
Brighton ; Mr. Allport, of Doddington Park, Nantwich ; and 
Mr. Crambe, of Tortworth Park. Mr. Tasker’s were large and 
handsome bunches, eight to nine inches long and heavily shoul¬ 
dered ; the berries very large and oval, and of a greenish- 
yellow colour. Mr. Crambe’s were very large, being a foot long 
and seven inches across the shoulders, but looser than Mr. 
Tasker’s; the berries large, and pale green, but with rather 
more flavour than Mr. Tasker’s. Both of these exhibitions were 
not sufficiently ripened. Mr. Allport’s were smaller bunches 
than either of the others; the berries of good size, and more 
approaching the amber colour of the variety when properly 
ripened ; they were also rich in flavour. After making a careful 
comparison of the merits of the various exhibitions, the Com¬ 
mittee unanimously decided on awarding the premium to Mr. 
Tasker. 
NOTES FROM PARIS. 
One of the most interesting accompaniments of a horticultural 
exhibition here is unquestionably the miscellaneous department, 
which includes all sorts of implements, machines, ornaments, 
fountains, models of greenhouses, and, in short, every contrivance 
suited to the garden either for utility or ornament. M. Borel, of 
the Quai do l’Ecole, is one of the principal exhibitors of imple¬ 
ments, comprising a great variety of cutting tools, several forms 
of watering cans, fumigating bellows, vases in zinc and cast iron, 
and light garden-seats very tastefully constructed. The chairs 
especially are remarkable for elegance and strength. The larger 
seats have their supports formed in imitation of branches with 
twigs and leaves, which are carefully painted to look like Nature. 
I once sent you a sketch of a French watering-can—at least one 
of the forms hi general use ; but there are two others which are 
equally common. It is somewhat singular that the form so 
common in England has only been introduced here of late, and it 
is as yet very rare. This little fact, among others of more im¬ 
portance, shows the decided difference of constructive genius 
between the English and the French. 
M. Roy, of the Rue Miromcriel, has some magnificent iron 
gates and railings for entrances. 
One of the most singular contrivances, and perhaps one of the 
newest, is shown by r M. Caspar, of the Faubourg St. Martin; 
who has had the idea of constructing all sorts of garden ornaments 
entirely of canes. His collection is composed of tables, chairs, 
flower-stands, flower-baskets, vases, &e., all of which are con¬ 
structed with great skill and neatness. But M. Caspar has 
carried his ideas much further than the range of common garden 
ornaments. He has even succeeded in the most satisfactory 
manner iiV working some large chandeliers and picture-frames, 
which are astonishing proofs of what perseverance can accomplish. 
Tho trellises for balconies and window-gardens aro the neatest I 
have seen; and in all these objects nothing but common cane is 
employed. 
M. Barbeau, of the Quai de la Megisserie, has this new form 
of garden-seat, which admits of being effectively covered in bad 
weather. It has some resemblance to a long, low, writing-desk 
when closed ; the lid, or cover, opening upwards, and forming a 
back. By this contrivance the seat may be always kept per¬ 
fectly dry, even in winter. 
Perhaps the most useful of all the contrivances in this Exhi¬ 
bition aro the paillassons, or straw coverings, invented by M. 
Guyot, and shown by M. Latour, of the extensive works at Clichy 
near Paris. These paillassons are by far the neatest and surest 
coverings for frames and greenhouses which I have seen anywhere, 
and they have only been introduced within the last three years. 
They may be used for any object or structure which requires to 
be covered, either in the garden or field. They are always clean 
and free from litter; and, indeed, they may bo employed with the 
