April 24, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
539 
FRUITS, FLOWERS & VEGETABLES. 
,» r 
Soot and. the Onion Maggot.—I beg to 
inform “Con” that I accepted bis remarks on this 
subject as they appeared in print, criticising an article 
of mine, and to assure him that they did not in any 
way offend me, and that the remarks which I made at 
p. 500 were in reply to his criticism as well as in 
support of what I had previously written on the subject. 
“Con” enquires at p. 522, What I consider good 
soot? While pronouncing no opinion on soot “had 
from various sources,” I have no hesitation in saying 
that I consider soot had, as your correspondent says he 
had some of his, “from the sweep fresh from the 
chimneys in the house,” and not allowed to get damp 
before being scratched into the soil with a rake prior to 
drawing the drills for the reception of the Onion seed, 
perfectly good. I would here remind “Con” that 
because he has not seen a good crop of Onions in his 
neighbourhood during the last ten years, it does not 
necessarily follow that good Onions cannot be grown 
there. On the contrary, the admitted fact shows 
the necessity there is for your correspondent and his 
neighbours following closely the cultural details which 
result in good crops being secured in other places. 
However elastic “Con’s” statements may be, I should 
be very sorry to accuse him of making false statements 
for the reason that he does not feel disposed to give 
anyone an opportunity of proving them to be otherwise; 
but I do wish, for his own sake as well as the readers of 
The Gardening World, that lie would be a little 
more consistent in what he writes, for at p. 522 he says 
“I know Bournemouth well, and have done so for over 
twenty years, and I contend that the illustrations' cited 
(see p. 506) have not the least weight against my state¬ 
ments, but the reverse. ” How does he arrive at this 
strange conclusion, seeing that the illustrations referred 
to, together with the names and addresses (in the 
neighbourhood of Bournemouth and Northumberland) 
were given by me, as published in The Gardening 
World, to show “ Con ’’ that his statement that the 
soot remedy “could not be expected to apply to all 
soils and climates ” was not quite correct, and that 
Messrs. Baskett & Stevens (see pp. 394 and 426), in the 
districts indicated above, not only “applied” the soot, 
but actually succeeded in eradicating the maggot by its 
judicious application to the soil in widely different 
“soilsand climates ” ? “ Con ” says, in the concluding 
paragraph of his last communication, “Although I 
have a staff of men under me, I have none, nor any 
friends either, whom I think it desirable to convince, or 
who would be convinced any the more from my adding 
my name and address.” In that case, at any rate, 
both his men and friends would alike be able to com¬ 
pare not only results, but the cultural details which 
led to them, with his statements, and judge for 
themselves. Your correspondent says “ When I write to 
a paper I simply state the result of my experience and ob¬ 
servation, and leave the reading public to think as they 
like respecting the matter. ” This is very well so far as it 
goes ; but some of the reading public may occasionally, 
as in the present case, require an explanation being 
given on certain parts of the result of “ experience and 
observation,” even though the statement be made on 
“facts within the writer’s own knowledge,” and it is 
his duty to comply with such request when courteously 
made. Once more I beg to draw your correspondent’s 
attention (and I do so in a kindly spirit) to a want of 
consistency in his statements on this subject. In his 
first letter (p. 490) he says “ I am always ready to defend 
what I say; ” and in his second letter on the same sub¬ 
ject he says “ I have had my say, and must decline to 
discuss this matter any farther.” In conclusion, I may 
be allowed to inform “Con” that I have no doubt 
whatever about being able to deal successfully with the 
Onion maggot in any other part of the United Kingdom 
than Longford within the space of a few years were I 
located there—say in “Con’s” district—always, of 
course, providing that I had a good supply of dry soot 
at hand ; and in reference to your correspondent’s ex¬ 
pressed surprise that I should have doubted the effect 
of soot in his garden, seeing that I had no experience 
there to guide me, I would remind him than an ac- 
quaintanceship with the soil or situation of his garden 
is not necessary, seeing that the complaint is a 
specific one, as also, in my opinion, is the remedy—soot. 
‘Con” might just as well question the soundness of 
advice given, say by you, Mr. Editor, to correspondents 
residing in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, to 
apply flour of sulphur to Rose trees affected by mildew 
when the leaves are damp, on the score that you “had 
no experience” of the individual trees and climates, 
and that the same remedy could not be “expected to 
apply ” in cases so widely apart. Should this discussion 
lead to satisfactory results, as I have no doubt it will, 
I shall not regret having taken part in it to a greater 
length than I had intended doing ; and should your 
correspondent, “Con,” be within measurable distance 
of Longford during the coming summer, I shall be very 
pleased to show him not only our Onion bed, but our 
garden generally.— H. IF. Ward. 
Strawberry, Keen’s Seedling.— In many 
gardens this Strawberry is now partly or wholly dis¬ 
carded in favour of Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury, 
President, Sir Joseph Paxton or other favourites, and 
for several years I followed the fashion to try the 
varieties named. I have now returned to my old love 
and do not think I shall wander again, for it proves 
more satisfactory with me than any of the others for 
early forcing. We are obliged to have ripe Strawberries 
as soon as possible, and though we were later than 
usual this year, we have been gathering fruits for 
several weeks, and both in size and colour these have 
pleased my employers well. It is sometimes urged 
against Keen’s Seedling that the fruits come of very 
irregular size, but when an extra large number show, 
and we always have good crops from it, they are thinned 
freely, the fruits come finer in consequence and they 
are much more even in size. Another variety not much 
seen is Black Prince, of which I have a few plants this 
year, and so good are they that the stock will be 
increased another season. I should like to see what 
other gardeners have to say of these two varieties, for 
they are not often noticed in the papers now .—A 
Surrey Gardener. 
The New Zealand Forget-me-not.— I was 
glad to see that this old plant has again come into 
notice, for it is nearly thirty years since I saw it, and I 
feared it had been lost to cultivators. My attention 
was first attracted to it at Mr. Watson’s, of St. Albans, 
by whom, I believe, it was introduced from the Chat¬ 
ham Islands, or who, at least, was the first who culti¬ 
vated the plant in England. Myself and a friend who 
accompanied me were greatly struck with the noble 
appearance of the plant which had not then received 
the title it now bears, Myosotidium nobile, but was 
either called a Cynoglossum or by some name which I 
forget. Mr. Watson flowered the plants well, and 
subsequently exhibited them, and I do not remember 
his remarking that they were particularly difficult to 
grow or flower. A short time afterwards it passed out 
of his hands, and, if I remember rightly, Mr. Standish 
became the possessor of the stock, but I am open to 
correction on this point. From that time I lost sight 
of the plant until your remarks last week recalled it to 
my memory, and perhaps we shall find that it is not so 
difficult to flower as some have imagined. It is a pity 
that such a beautiful plant should remain scarce and 
comparatively unknown .—An Old Gardener. 
The Amaryllis. —A wonderful improvement has 
been effected in the Amaryllis within the past ten years, 
as several hybridisers and selectors have been at work ; 
but a large part of the progress made has been due to 
the efforts of Messrs. Yeitch & Sons’ foreman, Mr. Heal. 
There is now a greater diversity in the colouring of 
these plants than has ever been known before, and 
still further departures from the prevailing types may 
be expected in the future, now the break has been 
effected. At one. time all the varieties were solid 
scarlet, unlightened in any way, brilliant and showy, 
but somewhat heavy and tiring ; then the Leopoldi 
race came into notice, in which there was a pre¬ 
ponderance of crimson, sometimes rather dull, with 
green centres and tips, possessing in fact little additional 
recommendation, except their fine form. It seemed at 
one time as if the superior strength of this type would 
obliterate the others, and a considerable time has been 
required to restore an equilibrium in the two races. 
Now, happily, not only is there a good proportion of 
scarlets and crimsons, but numbers of the striped and 
reticulated varieties have been raised, in which the 
bright colours over-lay a pure white ground, and when 
associated with the other heavier forms, they have a 
grand effect, both gaining by the comparison. They 
are all most useful plants, and flowering for a couple of 
months in early spring as they do, there is none to 
equal them in brightness. With some the foliage is 
well advanced at the time of flowering, and this serves 
to partly conceal the tall bare flower stems ; but all 
the Amaryllises of this section are seen to the best 
advantage when arranged with dwarf Ferns, l’alms, 
or other bright green foliage plants, though the flowers 
should not be closely surrounded by tall plants.— B. G. 
Pruning’ Roses. —We have been surprised in 
going through our Roses for the Spring pruning to find 
that the frost has done so little damage, and the prin¬ 
cipal effect of the bad season has been that the buds 
are not so forward in the middle of April as they have 
been at the same time in March of other years. Perhaps 
this is not a disadvantage, but at all events, it is very 
satisfactory to find so little damage has been done. 
Ours is a damp rather cold situation, but the soil is a 
somewhat heavy loam and suits Roses admirably. A 
large proportion of the plants are on their own roots, 
but some are on the briar, and I cannot detect any 
difference in either the forwardness or the injury done. 
— W. W., Middlesex. 
Anthurium Varieties. —The Anthuriums ex¬ 
hibited by Sir Trevor Lawrence at Kensington, last 
Tuesday week, were so exceptionally meritorious that 
they deserve a special note, for when well grown (as 
these were) few plants can surpass them in brightness. 
They were nearly all varieties of the well-known 
Flamingo plant, Anthurium Scherzerianum, but pre¬ 
sented a surprising diversity in form and size, some 
having the spathes long, pointed, and narrow, others 
broad and almost oblong, and still others nearly 
circular. They were brilliant, almost dazzling in the 
intensity of their scarlet colour, the spathes being also 
very thick and substantial, with foliage as healthy as 
could be wished. Wardi and Hendersoni were the best 
of the broad-spathed varieties ; Palmeri was remarkable 
for its great length (8 ins. or 9 ins.) ; and of the 
spotted varieties, Devansayanum and Rothschildianum 
were shown, the former being much the more effective 
of the two, the seal let spots much larger and brighter 
than the other, which is more curious than beautiful. 
Devansayanum was awarded a Certificate, and so dis¬ 
tinct is the plant that it will probably gain much 
greater favour with cultivators than the older Roths¬ 
childianum, of which you last week gave an illustration. 
—E. G. 
Hardiness of Gladiolus Colvilli alba. 
—It is worthy of note, that the lovely pure 
white Gladioli Colvilli alba, which was some 2 ins. or 
3 ins. through the ground when the frost in all its 
severity came upon us, has only the tips of its foliage 
browned, and has, since the change to more genial 
weather, made remarkable progress and promises to do 
as well as ever ; surely none will doubt the entire 
hardiness of this useful bulb after such a severe trial 
with biting winds and frost for several weeks in 
succession. It is equally valuable as a pot plant, and is 
turned to good account by bouquetists, who appear to 
realize its full value.— J. 
--—>=£<-- 
ORCHID NO TES AND GLEANINGS. 
Phaleenopsis and Aerides. — I have a few 
Phalsenopsis, Aerides, &c., which I last season wintered 
in an intermediate-house, as recommended in the 
columns of The Gardening World, and I am happy 
to say they are in a much more satisfactory condition 
than when I kept them in the hottest house. They 
are, in fact, now sound and healthy, some of them 
showing signs of sending up new leaves. Had I better 
now place them in the warmer and closer house ?— J. T. 
[If the house in which they are now is kept very freely 
ventilated, it would be better to place the growing 
plants in the warmer and closer house. The terrible 
mortality which excessive heat works among Orchids 
in a great measure arises from its being applied at the 
wrong season, and not because the plants will not stand 
it, and even thrive in a higher temperature when 
growing. It is owing to the thoughtless manner in 
which plants are kept in hot-houses when not growing 
that the continued reiteration of temperate and cool 
treatment is necessary, and not because the plants 
should be in a warm moist shady house when growing. 
As a matter of fact, most of the tropical Orchids will 
thrive in a very high temperature when growing and 
rooting actively, provided they be skilfully tended 
while in heat, and immediately removed as soon as 
their growths are completed. But such a plan of 
