160 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[October, 
lowing. I get old flax-seed barrels, saw them in two, 
and knock out the bottom ; one barrel will thus 
cover two stools. I begin to force about the second 
week in November, placing the half-barrel over the 
crown, over which I put about eight or nine inches 
of fine coal-ashes to prevent the steam of the manure 
from inj uring the crowns; a rough lid is used to 
cover the top of the barrel, and keep the manure 
from falling in; this lid can be lifted up at any time 
to see how the work proceeds. I force two rows at a 
time, filling up the space between with the manure, 
which is mixed with tree leaves to prevent too great 
a heat arising; eighteen inches of manure between 
the barrels will be quite enough, with a little over 
them to exclude the light. By this simple method 
I never fail to have splendid Seakale at Christmas.” 
— 3. bush of the pretty evergreen Skimmia 
oblata in Mr. Walker’s garden at Colwyn Bay 
became covered with scarlet berries after 
S.f ragrans was placed in juxtaposition, though till 
then, we are told, the plant had never fruited. No 
wonder, seeing that S. fragrantissima (not fragrans) 
is the male form of the species. 
— 3The common Foxglove appears to 
have had a prosperous season. A corres¬ 
pondent from Buxton, writing to the Man¬ 
chester City News, in July last, observes :—■“ I enclose 
a photograph, by Mr. B. W. Bentley, of Buxton, of a 
very remarkable foxglove gathered a few days ago in 
the Coombs Valley, Chapel-en-le-Fritb ; no one in 
this neighbourhood has seen anything like it before. 
A gentleman writing from Lyme Hills says there 
never was such a summer for foxgloves. That is our 
experience in this neighbourhood; Corbar Wood is 
full of them, and in our public gardens there are 
many specimens—red and white—more than eight 
feet high. Several of the white varieties have 
‘sported’ in a similar manner to the one photo¬ 
graphed ; and Mr. Hogg, the curator, is trying to 
preserve their seed with a view to future results. 
One white foxglove expanded a large bell-shaped 
flower, two inches in diameter, at the very apex of 
the stem, while for eighteen inches below the blos¬ 
soms were not out.” We have seen examples of this 
kind of growth during the past summer in the Park 
at Oxford, and Mr. Baxter was on the look-out for 
seeds with a view to perpetuate it if possible. As 
described above, the flower steins produced one very 
large bell erect from the apex, and had a very curious 
appearance. 
— Jt is a matter of common experience 
that if really prime Gooseberries for Dessert 
are required many at least of the large-fruited 
sorts must be eschewed, on account of their deficiency 
in flavour. There are indeed few kinds which sur¬ 
pass the good old Rough Red or Champagne and 
Rough Early Yellow. A recent writer states that 
after trying many kinds, if asked to name four 
really' good varieties, he would give the palm to 
Ironmonger , Crown Boh, Whitesmith, and Red War¬ 
rington, as being the best, all points considered, since 
they are good croppers, of average size, and finely 
flavoured. The Warrington, he thinks, ought to be 
grown by every one, as it comes in after many sorts 
are over, is a wonderfully heavy cropper, and if 
netted early maybe had in good condition for a long 
period. The tree, moreover, being pendent in habit 
does not get injured by spring frosts like the upright 
growing sorts. 
— Che Japanese Viburnum plicatum is 
quite a rival of the favourite Guelder Rose or 
Snowball Tree, being equally hardy, equally 
free in habit, and equally profuse in the production 
of its globular heads of flowers, which are veritable 
snowballs as regards form and purity of colour. It 
is quite a treasure for the shrubbery border, and 
equally valuable for forcing into early blossom. 
Though introduced from China so long since as 
1846, it is not so well known or so generally grown 
and appreciated as it should be. 
— Chough Alliums are generally more 
useful in the kitchen than in the flower garden, 
yet the new Allium Ostrowskyanum recently 
described by Dr. Regel, though not exactly a showy 
plant, has sufficient distinctness of character and 
prettiness about it to secure for it a place in the 
mixed bulb border. Its leaves are flat, like those of 
Ramsons, and from among them arises the scape, 
bearing a head of rosy pink flowers. It is doubtless 
quite hardy as it comes from Turkestan. 
-Ihi fEnitonam. 
- fifjR. John Pearson, late of Kinlet, died 
on August 23, rather suddenly, after a long 
period of failing health, in his 79th year. Mr. 
Pearson, who was the third son of Mr. J. Pearson, 
of Kirklees, Yorkshire, was for forty-nine years 
gardener and forest planter to the late W. Lacon 
Childe, Esq., at Kinlet, Bewdlev, who granted to 
him and his wife a pension for their lives. He was 
one of the most energetic promoters of the United 
Gardeners' and Land Steivard's Journal. Amongst 
the craft he was known by the noms de plume of 
Bewdley Forester, Ishmael, Ben Giles, &c. 
— £|ohn Dillwyn Llewelyn, Esq., F.R.S., 
died at Atherton Grange, Wimbledon, on August 
24, aged 72 years. He was the eldest son of 
the late Mr. Lewis Weston Dillwyn, some time M.P. 
for Glamorgan-hire; was a magistrate and Deputy- 
Lieutenant for Glamorganshire, of which county he 
served as High Shetiff as far back as the year 1834 ; 
and was a man of high scientific attainments, and 
one of the oldest members of the Royal Society. 
He was also one of the oldest Fellows of the Royal 
Horticultural Society, and the father of Mr. J. T. D. 
Llewelyn, a member of the present Council. 
— ®1eorge Ward Norman, Esq., of Bromley, 
Kent, died on September 4, aged 89 years. Mr. 
Norman’s name is familiar to the older genera¬ 
tion of horticulturists as the owner of the splendid 
specimen plauts with which Mr. W. Barnes used to 
combat and sometimes conquer the late Mrs. Lawrence, 
of Ealing. He was also a warm supporter, and Vice- 
President, of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent In¬ 
stitution. 
- «K. George Smith died at his resi¬ 
dence, New Villa, Edmonton, on September 6, 
aged 64 years. He was a true florist of the 
olden type, and as such took an active part, in con¬ 
junction with Mr. Turner and Mr. Cannell, in the 
initiation of the recent Dahlia Show at the Crystal 
Palace, undertaking the duties of Secretary and 
Treasurer, which from ill health he was obliged to 
abandon. His judgment on florists’ flowers was 
always held in respect. 
