394 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 20, 1886. 
BRITISH, OR WHAT? 
Your correspondent “ Briton ” very generously says 
he has no objection to use the word “British” in 
connection with Horticulture, and especially in con¬ 
nection with new things raised in gardens. Now, 
though “ Briton ” is so generous, he may, perhaps, 
pardon me for taking exception to the remark he makes 
that the demand for the use of “ British,” instead of 
“English” made by me, can be considered amusing, 
when it is recollected that the case I mentioned was 
one in which Scotch Seedling Grapes were commented 
upon as English, no mention being made of what part 
of England they had emanated from, consequently some 
of your readers might be misinformed and mislead on 
the n attar. 
I go upon the assumption that all your readers are 
not posted up in the histories of the various Grapes 
which have been raised during the last twenty-five 
years, and information should be as correctly given as 
possible. Naturally no Scotch gardener would tell 
anyone he was an Englishman, and vice versa. No 
one need be thought to be deprecating his nationality 
by being exact in a description of anything. In many 
cases the terms English, Scotch, and Irish should be 
retained, and most certainly when English Grapes are 
being written about; only English ones should be named, 
and so in regard to Scotch and Irish ones. When a 
comprehensive notice is being made of the Grapes 
raised in the kingdom, then “British ” might be used. 
As “Briton” remarks, Scotch gardeners have been in 
great request in past years among English gentlemen, 
and to a certain extent it is so yet; at the same time 
no one would assert that there are not plenty of first- 
rate English gardeners. We want to stimulate a 
generous rivalry, we want to give honour to whom 
honour is due, and to do this sometimes it is necessary 
to mark the bounds between English, Scotch, and 
Irish, but in all other matters we should endeavour to 
cultivate the use of Britain and British in describing 
things connected with the whole kingdom.— Imperials. 
-►»£<—- 
PARSLEY AND ONIONS. 
I beg to inform “ W. C.” (p. 375), that my remarks, 
founded upon fourteen consecutive years’ experience, 
of the use and satisfactory results of soot as a purifier 
and a fertiliser of the soil, as set forth on p. 358, are 
substantially correct ; I may add that our Onion crop 
is always sown on a piece of ground previously cropped 
with Celery. The latter is taken up early in February 
and laid in as deep in the soil as it was before, under a 
north wall. The ground is then levelled and dug (no 
manure being applied to it), and as soon as the soil is 
dry enough to work without its adhering to the feet, it 
is trodden down and roughly raked with a wooden rake ; 
the soot is then applied, the drills drawn 1 ft. apart 
and about 1 in. deep, and into these the Onion seeds 
are thinly sown ; the 'soil being afterwards closed in 
with the feet, then trodden, and the ground raked over 
in the usual way. Thus treated, I repeat, we are never 
troubled with the attacks of maggots or other insects at 
the roots. 
I observe that “ W. C.” dresses his ground with 
closet manure, and sows the seed in beds, instead of 
drills, in which latter case the soil is frequently stirred 
about the roots during the growing season, but he does 
not say whether the ground is trodden or rolled prior 
to, and after the seed has been sown, as it should be. 
I repeat that Onions, &c., which are sown in well culti¬ 
vated ground which is annually surface-dressed with 
soot, will not, according to my experience, be attacked 
by maggots. If not too late this season—and I do not 
suppose it is, as the ground has not yet been sufficiently 
dryforthe work to be done—I would advise “ W. C. ’’and 
other of your correspondents who may have experienced 
any difficulty in the production of good crops of Onions, 
&c., to follow the method of procedure indicated above 
annually, and I shall feel very much surprised to hear, 
after the remedy has been tried for a few successive 
years, of the roots being attacked by maggots ; in 
short, good cultivation and a judicious application of dry 
soot annualty, will, as I have stated in a previous com¬ 
munication, render the ground uncongenial to insect 
life, as well as capable of producing crops of the most 
satisfactory description. 
As regards Parsley, I find no difference between the 
transplanted plants, and those that have not been so 
treated, as regards their having a tendency to run 
to seed, as some people erroneously think the trans¬ 
planted plants are more liable to do. I practise with 
the most satisfactory results, and consequently recom¬ 
mend the modus ogjerandi, of sowing a box or two with 
seed in spring, and a square yard or so out-of-doors in 
July, and afterwards transplanting from each sowing 
the necessary number of plants to form the crop, on the 
score of economising space, because when it is time to 
sow the seed, the ground, which is considered the most 
suitable for the growth of this indispensable herb, may 
be occupied with some other crop of equal importance, 
say Lettuce or French Beans, which would not be ready 
for gathering for seven or eight w r eeks hence, at the end 
of which time the plants raised from a pinch of seed 
sown in a small space would be ready for transplanting, 
and this being done in damp weather, and the plants 
being afterwards attended to in the way of watering 
when necessary, until they have taken to the soil, ex¬ 
perience very little check in the process of being 
transplanted in rows 12 ins. apart, and 7 ins. in the 
row, and show quite as little tendency to run to seed as 
do plants not so treated. 
I never sow Parsley in a bed except to transplant 
from, neither do I think it advisable to have the plants 
any closer together than the distances indicated, other¬ 
wise they would not have room to develop themselves, 
and consequently become a prey to mildew. Moreover, 
when the crop is sown or planted in rows, it is just as 
easy to protect it from frost with sashes, &c., as if sown 
in beds, the result being much better. — H. Til Ward. 
I have been not a little interested in the letters in 
your two last issues on the subject of Parsley and 
Onions. I know that a great many find it a difficult 
matter to obtain anything like a good crop of the latter, 
more especially where the soil is of a light nature, as in 
this neighbourhood. I for one cannot help following 
in the footsteps of your able correspondent Mr. Ward, 
especially when I know that what he recommends, and 
what I have myself adopted, has resulted in first class 
crops, whilst the crops of others who have left them to 
take care of themselves have resulted in total failure. 
I must certainly uphold the statement that fresh soot 
used in a proper manner, is a preventitive for the 
maggot. When preparing ground for the crop I give 
it a good dusting over with soot and quick-lime, so that 
it gets well mixed up with the surface, and again on 
drawing the drills. I have not the slightest doubt but 
that this dressing destroys the larvaa that may be in 
the soil ; but here we must stop. How are we to stay 
the fly that may spring up from other quarters ? Antho- 
myia ceparum lays its eggs in our nice healthy young 
tops, by inserting them close to the surface. The plan 
I adopt is to give them a good dusting of fresh soot in 
the early morn before the dew gets off, as it dries, the 
soot adheres, and this I consider is the secret of my 
success. I have heard that to lay powdered charcoal 
between the rows is a good preventative, as it is said 
the fly takes as readily to it as the Onion. 
I have not had any trouble with Parsley, but find 
more difficulty in dealing with the Cabbage fly 
(Anthomyia brassies). Here again I have to seek the 
aid of soot which I mix up into a thick paste, and 
before planting dip in the roots and allow it to dry on 
before consigning them to their quarters. Thus served 
I manage to save 90 per cent., which if left to them¬ 
selves on some of our ground would not grow to the 
extent of 25 per cent. — G. Baslcctt, Elm Croft, 
Parkstone, Dorset. 
How to grow Onions and Parsley free from grub or 
canker is often a question that puzzles gardeners. Like 
Mr. Ward, “ W. C.,” and many that took part in .the 
discussion of the able and practical paper read in Man¬ 
chester the other week, I believe that old or worn out 
soil is the main cause on the one hand, and the season 
on the other ; for the fresher the soil, the more free it 
is of insect life, but fresh soil cannot always be com¬ 
manded, and a sweetener has to be resorted to in the 
shape of lime, soot, &c., as recommended by Mr. Ward, 
and “ W. C.” These, however, do not always destroy 
insect life, but they help to stimulate the plant and 
to give it strength to get out of the way, for the strong 
is to the fore and the weakest lag behind. The best 
remedy I have found for grub in Onions is a table 
spoonfull of common salt put in four gallons of water, 
with a pinch of soda thrown in, and the liquor applied 
on a wet day. 
As to Parsley, I believe it to be canker, but in this I 
am open to conviction. I see that Mr. Upjohn recom¬ 
mends Parsley to be sown amongst Onions. The 
finest and healthiest Parsley that I ever saw, 
was sown in this way when I was a youth, but I 
always thought this was due to the plants being isolated 
or thin on the beds. If it be grub in Onions, how is it 
that Parsley escapes ? However, be the cause what it 
may, I never had much trouble in growing Parsley 
until the two last dry summers. In 1884 my beds 
were not worth 2 d., and in the district the cry was, 
“ All gone to the dogs !” Last summer 1 fared rather 
better, and the beds were not half-a-dozen yards from 
the other ; but the season was somewhat similar. My 
inference is that it is the season over which we have no 
control, the extreme drought having caused the roots 
to become dry and withered, so that when water has 
been applied they have not been able to take advantage 
of its presence. This is my idea, but, as I have said 
before, I am open to conviction. This is a subject that 
ought to be well ventilated at once, and diseased roots, 
if possible, ought to be submitted to a competent 
authority for examination under a powerful microscope. 
The salt remedy was applied to the Parsley in 1884 and 
1885, but to no purpose.— B. L. 
I "was much pleased with “ W. C.’s ” letter in your 
last anent the Onion Grub, as I have had much the 
same experience, with the exception that the crop was 
a total failure here. I have found by experience that: 
lime is of as little use as soot. About six days before 
sowing, I dressed the beds with sulphuric acid, and 
after sowing the seeds, the beds were covered with dry 
soil, wood ashes, soot, and a little steamed bone meal. 
In the previous spring the ground was limed, and to 
make sure I used lime water now and again during 
summer, but all proved ineffectual. The autumn 
Onions, too, that used td eseape had to be pulled up 
before they reached maturity, to save them from the 
pest. We have no trouble with Parsley.— J. 31., 
Aberdeenshire. 
--oSE<-- 
FRUITS, FLO WERS & V EGETABLES. 
The Duke of Buccleuoh Grape.— I was much 
interested in reading “ Vitis’ ” remarks on “English 
Seedling Grapes” (in your issue of Jan. 30th), especially 
in reference to what he said of the above. “It has caused 
much dispute, but is unquestionably a grand Grape 
where well grown, as it is in several northern gardens. ’ 
Can it not be equally well grown in the south ? Three 
years ago I planted a range of Yineries, but before 
doing so consulted a friend who has had great ex¬ 
perience in Vine growing, and is in touch with all the 
best growers in the kingdom. I rather wanted to give 
the “Duke” a trial. My friend admitted it was a fine 
Grape, but he added it is a “rum’un”. So finally it 
was settled that the “rum’un” should be planted in 
the early house together with Black Hamburgh, 
Foster’s Seedling, and Buckland Sweetwater. These 
latter are old friends. I should like, however, to gain 
more knowledge of the “ Duke.” Last year it made a 
splendid growth—at pruning time it was shortened 
back to about 10 ft.—at the time of writing it has 
broken as many as three shoots to an eye, with a show 
of over sixty bunches. The former, of course, will be 
thinned to one shoot—-as soon as all danger is passed 
in “tying down,” and the latter to six or eight bunches ; 
a more healthy appearance it is impossible to imagine. 
The roots, too, are in the best possible condition. Now 
I should esteem it a very great favour if auy of your 
correspondents who have successfully grown this Grape, 
will say how they would proceed with the above to 
bring it to a perfect finish. I may say that the tem¬ 
perature of the house is such as will ripen the other 
Grapes by the beginning of June. The “Duke,” it 
appears, -will not finish by that time. — T. W. B., 
Elstcad. 
The Best Scarlet-fleshed Melon ?— In reply 
to this query of one of your correspondents, I may 
observe that visiting the celebrated gardens of the 
Marquis of Waterford, at Curraghmore, some time 
since, the head gardener, Mr. Fairbairn, assured me 
that after trying all accessible varieties, he was then 
growing Carter’s Blenheim Orange exclusively. He 
managed a supply by sowing in succession, commencing 
in January. After Monro’s Little Heath there is hardly 
any other that will grow and mature with so low a 
temperature, comparatively ; but this temperature 
must not vary too much. Curiously enough, when 
