October 10, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
87 
Scottish Horticultural Association. — The 
seventh ordinary meeting of this Association was held 
in the Bible Society’s Iiooms, St. Andrew Square, 
Edinburgh, on Tuesday night. Mr. Lindsay presided. 
Dr. J. M. Macfarlane, of the Royal Botanic Garden, 
Edinburgh, read a paper on “Nepenthes,” in which he 
drew attention to the history, general structure, affini¬ 
ties, microscopic structure and physiological action, 
species, and cultivation of this curious class of plants. 
He stated that about forty species were known, of 
which about twenty have been introduced during the 
last thirty years. He pointed out the arrangement by 
which insects are caught in the pitchers of the plant, 
and drew attention to the very remarkable peculiarities 
in the species which have been introduced, as well as in 
those that are still known only in dried specimens. A 
discussion followed, during which the Chairman stated 
that the first seedling Nepenthes raised in Scotland was 
reared by Mr. Kelly, of Messrs. Dickson & Sons’ 
Nursery, Edinburgh, about forty yeas ago. Mr. F. W, 
Burbidge, of Trinity College Botanic Garden, Dublin, 
gave the result of some of his observations in Borneo, 
the principal habitat of pitcher plants. Various ex¬ 
hibits of new varieties of fruits and flowers were shown, 
as well as a fruit new to Europe—Aberia Caffra, the 
Kei Apple of the Cape, ripened at La Martolo, Italy, 
and likely to be a serviceable half-hardy fruit, suitable 
for cultivation in peach-houses in this country, .for 
making preserve, or for preparation as a pickle without 
vinegar as used by the Dutch settlers. 
The Vineries at Bakassie. —The extensive vineries 
at Barassie, concerning which I sent you a note a few 
weeks ago (p. 42) have been purchased by the gardener, 
Mr. Cockburn, for the sum of £1,100, and he will now 
carry on the place as a nursery and fruit garden. The 
grounds secured occupy about two acres. It may 
interest some of your readers (but not if they are 
growers) to know that good hothouse Grapes are being 
sold in Edinburgh at Is. per lb.— J. D. 
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STOBO CASTLE, PEEBLESHIRE. 
The gardens at Sir Graham Montgomery’s are well 
worthy of a visit, no matter at what season of the year 
one may happen to be in the neighbourhood. I was 
particularly struck on the occasion of a recent visit 
with the glorious blaze of flower in the house specially 
set apart for the display of zonal Pelargoniums, a class 
of plants which, by the way, I was pleased to see you 
notice in last week’s issue under the head of “The 
Zonal Pelargonium to the Fore Again.” The house is 
a lean-to, 70 ft. long, and as the back wall (12 ft. in 
height), as well as the broad stage in front is literally 
clad from top to bottom with healthy, well-grown plants, 
the sight on entering is one not easily forgotten. 
Through the courtesy of Sir Graham, the gardens are 
open to visitors during the season, and this past summer 
and autumn many seemed to have called simply through 
the fame of the Pelargonium-liouse having been noised 
abroad. Mr. Borthwick, like all gardeners, has his 
favourite sorts which he grows in quantity ; but every 
year new sorts are added, and varieties which have been 
improved upon discarded. Mrs. Clifton, Col. Holden, 
Miss Laura Walters, Helen, The Rev. Mr. Atkinson, 
Henry Jacoby, Duchess of Edinburgh, Niphetos, Lady 
Sheffield, Lady Chesterfield, Lord Zetland, and Aline 
are among the sorts approved of. In order to give a 
little variety, the back wall is covered here and there 
with well-grown examples of Fuchsias, sweet-scented 
Geraniums, Clematis, and Heliotrope. The collection 
of herbaceous and Alpine plants at Stobo Castle is very 
complete, and we are glad to notice that although 
bedding is carried out extensively, this department has 
not been neglected.— I). P. L. 
Carter’s Dedham Favourite Tomato. —Mr. Neve, 
the gardener at Beutly Priory, who is a noted plants- 
man, and a most successful grower of fruits, con¬ 
siders this the finest of all Tomatos for the general 
crop, and therefore cultivates it almost exclusively, 
only Trophy being grown besides. Mr. Neve grows 
Tomatos largely, every available house being made to 
bear a crop, and Cucumbers and other things are 
immediately succeeded by Tomatos. In some houses, 
beds 1 ft. wide, and 1 ft. 6 ins. deep, are made up 
between the piping and the wall as required, and in 
these the plants are planted- and run up on single 
stout stems. When so grown, the plants are most 
manageable and prolific, and the large handsome fruits 
of the Dedham Favourite'frequently reach 14 ozs. or 15 
ozs. in weight. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
'Protecting Tender Plants. —The sharp spell of 
cold with which we have recently been visited, forcibly 
reminds us that winter is at hand, and that frost, cruel 
and destructive in its visitation, will soon be upon us, 
which being so, it is high time to look round and see 
what plants there are of a tender nature to be saved, 
as any night now they may be laid low and killed. 
Heliotrope, Verbenas, Ageratums, and all others of 
that class that propagate readily are best struck in the 
spring, and therefore it is useless saving more than just 
enough of the old stock to afford the necessary cuttings, 
but with Pelargoniums the case is different, as aged 
plants of them flower so much better than young ones, 
and as they may be stored and kept readily in a small 
space, it is advisable to winter the greater part of those 
now in the beds. The way to do this with safety is to 
lift them carefully, and then cut them back right into 
the hard or ripe wood, only leaving two or three buds 
at the base, and after this is done and the roots short¬ 
ened a little, they may be laid in closely together in 
fine sandy soil in boxes or pots, when they should have 
a watering and be stood on shelves in any light airy 
house. 
Planting Bulbs. —With the beds or borders cleared 
of tlieir summer occupants, the next tiling to tliink of 
is filling the places by planting bulbs, most of which' 
are better got in early as it gives them time to root 
before they are called on to make top growth, and they 
are then able to send up fine heads of flower. In cases 
where they are to be planted in masses the beds must 
be prepared by being manured, dug, or trenched, and 
if the soil is at all close, it is advisable to work in some 
sand or leaf mould to keep it open so as to insure free 
drainage, and thus prevent the bulbs from rotting or 
suffering from wet, which they do unless rain can pass 
quickly through. 
Arranging and Planting the Bulbs.— The ar¬ 
rangement of the bulbs is a matter of taste, some 
preferring them in rows of distinct colours, while others 
like to see them more mixed, the latter perhaps being 
more preferable, as greater variety may be had, and a 
good effect produced if the plants come into bloom all 
together. The proper depth at which to plant such 
things as Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissus, and Crocuses 
is about 3 in., and when putting them in, it is a good 
plan to drop a pinch of sharp sand over each before 
covering, which helps greatly to keep the bulbs sound. 
Grouping in Borders. —In borders the best way is 
to plant in groups or patches of three, placing the roots 
triangularly about 6 in. apart, but Crocuses need to go 
nearer. Protecting from vermin : As rats and mice 
are very fond of bulbs, it will be necessary to keep a 
watchful eye to protect or save tlie roots from their 
depredations, which can only be managed temporarily, 
by placing an inverted pot over each till the mice or 
rats can be caught. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Gathering Fruit.— Tlie chief thing requiring atten¬ 
tion in this department is the ingathering of fruit, but 
this must not be done indiscriminately, as sorts vary 
much in tlieir order of ripening, some requiring much 
more time than others to hang on the trees, and if 
gathered too soon they shrivel and spoil. These remarks 
apply equally to Apples and Pears, both of which should 
be picked with the greatest care, and laid tenderly in 
padded baskets to prevent bruising, as any damage in 
that way, interferes with their keeping and brings on 
rapid decay. 
Storing the Fruit. —The best place for storing the 
fruit is a cool airy room or dry cellar, where the tem¬ 
perature is low and does not vary much, as warmth 
causes early maturity and such a sweating, that the 
juices of the fruit evaporate, and the flesh shrinks and 
loses much of its flavour. What often spoils this too, 
is, using straw to lay the Apples or Pears on, for though 
the straw may be the sweetest and cleanest that can be 
got, it becomes tainted from being in a damp atmos¬ 
phere, and soon affects tlie fruit with its odour. This 
being so, it is better to lay the Pears or Apples on bare 
boards, and only in single layers, so that they can be 
seen and examined easily to pick out any that show 
signs of not keeping. 
Raspberries, Gooseberries, and Currants.— 
These are generally left in the same plantations for 
years, but it is a mistake to let them stand too long, 
as young canes or bushes bear far more freely than old, 
which become weak and worn out, and often without 
any buds on the lower branches, where they remain 
bare of sliooti. One of the best situations for Rasp¬ 
berries is a half-shady position like that between rows of 
Apples or Pears, or along side of a wall or low building, 
as in places of that kind they do not suffer from heat 
and drought in the way they do when standing out in 
the open. To grow Raspberries well, the ground must 
be heavily manured and broken up deep by digging or 
trenching, as it is only when the roots of the plants can 
ramify freely and find plenty of food that they bear 
large crops of fine fruit. 
Planting the Canes.— The proper distance to 
plant the canes is 4 ft. apart, and as it exhausts the 
plants to take fruit from them the first year, they should 
be cut down nearly close to the ground, which will 
cause them to break very strong from below, and send 
up some vigorous shoots. Gooseberries and Currants 
succeed well enough in poor land, and to economise 
space and facilitate gathering, they should be planted 
near the edges of walks or paths, where they look well 
and get plenty of air and light on both sides of the 
rows. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Celery. —This promises to be unusually fine and 
good this year, the late rains having come well to set 
it growing fast, and while it is doing this it is better 
without any earthing up, the only good of putting soil 
to the plants at all being to blanch them, and if that 
could be done in a more cleanly and less troublesome 
way it would be preferable, as tlie soil harbours worms 
and slugs, which get into the hearts of the Celery, and 
often spoil it for use. What we have done with ours 
this year is to bind it round with sea-weed, which has 
answered admirably for the early rows, while the plants 
in the later are being tied to keep them close and 
compact, and the leaves together, ready for moulding 
lip before sharp weather sets in. 
Cauliflowers. — These, too, have been greatly 
benefited by the veet, and keep turning in grandly. 
Veitch’s Autumn Giant is a long way the finest and 
best for this season, and to save their heads from frost 
the leaves should be tied or bent over the flowers to 
preserve them till they are wanted for use. Although 
young plants will sometimes stand without protection, 
they only do so in mild winters, and to make sure of 
them, must either he pricked out close up against a 
warm sunny wall, or sheltered under hand-lights or an 
old frame, where they must have plenty of air to keep 
them from drawing 
Cabbages. —The earliest batch of these ought now to 
have got well hold of the ground, and should he hoed 
between to prevent the growth of seed weeds, and to 
stir the surface, which aerating is very beneficial to all 
young crops, and keeps them healthy and strong. The 
grub has been very busy, and is yet very troublesome, 
eating up the plants, which should be kept filled up in 
the rows, but it is useless doing this till a search is made 
and the insects destroyed, as they travel on from place 
to place and devour all that they find. 
Scarlet Runners. —There seems no end to the bear¬ 
ing capabilities of a good row of Scarlet Runners, which 
are only stopped by frost, but as this may come now 
any night, it is only wise to keep them closely picked 
as they turn in, and lay them on a cool damp floor, 
where they will remain fresh and fit for use for a week 
or two. Any that have been over looked, and are 
forward enough for seed, should be gathered and saved 
for that purpose, and especially any pods that are large 
and long, as by selecting them an improved stock may 
be had. 
Tomatos.— These have now begun to show the effects 
of the season, as the cold is telling on the plants, and 
it is useless leaving any fruits exposed longer, as they 
will ripen under glass on a warm dry shelf if it is fully 
grown and changing colour when cut. 
Spinach. —This is a vegetable that slugs are very 
fond of, and to prevent their ravages the beds should 
have a dressing, of soot, which ought to be sown on 
when the plants are dry, and tlie ground stirred after 
by running a Dutch hoe over the surface to disturb and 
break up the clods. 
