170 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 12, 1887. 
Beurre d’Amanlis I will pass by, as, although useful, 
they are superseded by other varieties of far more 
value, notably BeurrA de l’Assomption, Madame Treyve 
and Pitmaston Duchess. On a south wall the first- 
named is grand indeed, both in size and quality, and, 
although considered coarse generally, is with us of the 
highest merit, and is most imposing at dessert. 
Madame Treyve, too, from the same position, is very 
fine, frequently weighing 10 ozs. each ; flesh very 
melting and of clear brisk flavour, far surpassing 
Beurre d’Amanlis, which is in season about the same 
time ; it is rather a weak grower, but fruits freely. 
Pitmaston Duchess is planted by the side of the 
preceding, and yields fruit of enormous size and 
entirely free from the grittiness and coarseness so 
frequently met with in this variety ; it should be 
planted by all who can afford room in such a position 
for it, as it will amply repay the care by its noble 
fruit. Passe Colmar and Bergamot d’Esperen, although 
consistent bearers, are never any good with us ; but 
Fondante d’Automne and General Todtleben from 
pyramids scarcely ever fail to give us good crops of 
excellent fruit. Ne Plus Meuris is another thoroughly 
reliable variety, and as a pyramid is unrivalled, both 
for habit and general cropping. The fruit is very 
irregular in outline ; but under its rude-looking coat is 
a flesh of excellent flavour and quality. It is much 
the best from a west wall, if it can be so planted, 
I must yet give one more, which never fails us, both 
on walls and as a pyramid—viz , Jersey Gratioli. In 
some soils this is poor in quality and very gritty, but 
not so with us, and it is always preferred to Bon 
Chretien. It grows to a large size, and is a valuable 
early variety, especially as a pyramid. Citron des 
Carmes may be planted to give a few dishes of very 
early fruit, but is hardly worth the outlay. Not so 
with that best of all early Pears, Jargonelle. In cold 
wet soils it is sadly liable to canker ; in fact, from its 
peculiar straggling habit, it is difficult to find a good 
tree. This is best from a west wall, standards being a 
complete failure. Knight’s Monarch, which I once, 
and once only, tasted good, and that at Chiswick, must 
be passed by as quite unreliable. 
In stewing Pears I will only name two varieties— 
Catillac, which is best grown as a standard, and Vicar 
of Winkfield, grown on a west wall. These will afford 
a supply from September until January, which, gene¬ 
rally speaking, is sufficient. The way to make a 
selection for planting according to the style and 
positions I have named is as follows :— 
Dessert. 
Jargonelle 
Jersey Gratioli 
Beurre de l’Assomption 
Madame Treyve 
Pitmaston Duchess 
Louise Bonne of Jersey 
Marie Louise 
Fondante d’Automne 
General Todtleben 
Passe Crassanc 
Doyenne du Comice 
Glou Morceau 
Ne Plus Meuris 
Beurre France 
Easter Beurre. 
Stewing. 
Catillac 
Vicar of Winkfield. 
— Walter Child, Broome Court, Worcester. 
PRIMULAS AND CHRYSANTHE¬ 
MUMS AT MESSRS. LAING'S. 
At the present time, anyone paying a visit to the 
Stanstead Park Nursery cannot fail to find much that 
is interesting and instructive. It is not my intention 
to enter here into any lengthy comment on the many 
and various subjects to be seen, or give any detailed 
report of the nurseries, but to note particularly the 
Primulas and Chrysanthemums. Of the first-named 
suffice it to say there is a very fine display—a span- 
roofed house, 100 ft. long, being filled to almost over¬ 
flowing, together with a well-grown batch of Cinerarias 
just coming into flower, and which will render the 
house gay and attractive for some few weeks to come. 
We did not note down the names of any special variety, 
but may say that the strain is an excellent one, giving 
evidence of great pains and care in the seed selection, 
the colours varying from dark red, through the inter¬ 
mediate shades, to the purest white ; the flowers and 
trusses are large, the plants being sturdy and robust. 
Regarding the Chrysanthemums it is somewhat 
difficult to restrain oneself from being carried away by 
enthusiasm after being feasted by such a sight to the 
point of almost satiation. The plants, of which there 
are some hundreds, are much dwarfer than one usually 
meets with, owing to their having been subjected to a 
very old system of treatment which is now coming into 
vogue again, viz., cutting down the plants in June to 
within 6 ins. or 8 ins. of the pot. Many young growers 
are under the impression that this practice is a com¬ 
paratively modern one, but no, Mr. Laing, sen., will 
tell you he has known the practice adopted upwards of 
thirty years ago. The plan is a good one for those who 
wish to have plants available for decorative purposes. 
To give the names here of those in flower -would mean 
giving a catalogue of all the varieties worth growing in 
commerce; we will, therefore, content ourselves by 
noticing a few of the newer sorts. Alba fimbriata, a 
Japanese variety, with broad fringed petals and florets 
of pure white, is a decided acquisition and worth 
growing. Alpha, rosy purple, shaded white, with 
slightly rounded twisted petals, is also very good. 
Mrs. J. Wright promises to be a standard variety for 
some considerable time to come, flowers ivory-white, 
round-twisted or recurving florets, large, very hand¬ 
some, and must be regarded as one of the best new 
varieties. Mr. D. B. Chapman, rosy purple twisted 
petals, divided at the points like a stag’s horn, is 
certainly a grand acquisition. 
In addition to the above, all of -which have already 
been sent out, there are many promising seedlings; 
some of them will, doubtless, be heard of again at no 
distant date.— J. H. 
-- 
ARDENING ffflSCELLANY. 
Apprentice Gardeners v. Journeymen.— 
I was pleased to see this subject referred to the other 
week by one of your contributors. I have long thought 
there was much need of reform in this matter. There 
are exceptions in the gardening trade as well as every 
other, but it has always seemed to me, since I gave the 
subject consideration, that at the end of three years, 
speaking generally, young lads are not sufficiently 
qualified to be styled journeymen. I am not reflecting 
on the incapacity of the lads, but simply stating that I 
think there is not sufficient time in three years, as 
matters are conducted at present, for an apprentice to 
acquire a sufficiently general amount of gardening 
experience to fit him to do what may fairly be expected 
from him in the capacity of a journeyman. As sug¬ 
gested by your correspondent, I would certainly say 
that four years would be a reasonably fair time to 
serve. By this course a better class of gardeners would 
be the result, while the employer would receive fuller 
value for the wages given to the apprentice. It would 
produce other good results into which I need not enter. 
But I may hint another point I have in contemplation. 
I am officially connected with a monthly horticultural 
association, which has for its object the promotion of 
the interests of horticulture, by the diffusion of know¬ 
ledge through the means of essays and discussions on 
such matters. The point I specially refer to is this : in 
regard to apprentices we contemplate submitting those 
who are members of our association, who are reared in 
this district, to a kind of examination every six or 
twelve months, somewhat in fashion like to what pupil 
teachers are subjected to. We would appoint so many 
of our number as a board for that purpose, and the ex¬ 
amination would be a written one. This would prove 
a spur to the young lads, as according to the manner 
in which they acquitted themselves during the course, 
so would be the certificate granted by the association 
at the end of the fourth year. Until recent years 
monthly horticultural associations have been mostly 
confined to cities and large towns. I would strongly 
advise their establishment in every provincial town of 
any size where a dozen gardeners can be got together. 
Much depends upon the way in -which things are 
managed. Granted a spirit of brotherly fairness, and 
there need be no fears.— W. J. C. 
Mushroom Growing Outdoors. —Little con¬ 
ception can be had by those who are confined to 
Mushroom culture indoors, and who have never seen 
them grown on the ridge system, of the enormous 
quantities—literally the tons—of this delicate and 
esculent fungus that are annually grown for the London 
markets. Before the end of this month, Mr. W. 
Warren, of Islewortli, will have constructed more than 
half a mile of these ridges, consisting of well-prepared 
and fermented stable-manure, a small quantity of soil, 
and stable litter. The manure is laid on a slightly 
elevated ridge of soil, so as to throw oft’ the water, and 
after it has been made or built up to the required 
height, 2 ins. of soil, into which the pieces of spawn 
are inserted, is put on, and the whole covered with a 
thick layer of litter to preserve the heat and throw off 
the wet. In about a month’s time there will be a crop 
of Mushrooms, after which the beds will continue in 
bearing for a great length of time. If, by any mishap, 
the beds should fail to develop a crop by the loss of 
heat, they will come into bearing again when the tem¬ 
perature of the atmosphere rises in spring. Tons of 
this kind of food are produced during the season, and 
the Musliropms are more solid, heavy, and rich than 
those grown under the old system of indoor culture in 
beds. 
Cauliflower, Methven’s Extra Selected 
Forcing. —Those who wish to grow a choice early 
Cauliflower would do well to take note of the above- 
named. It is of first-class quality, pure white, the 
heads compact, in the form of half a globe, and just 
the size to please most cooks. Being of a nice compact 
habit it may be planted close, say 18 ins. apart each way. 
It was introduced two years ago by Messrs. Methven & 
Sons, 15, Princes Street, Edinburgh, and is a valuable 
addition to our early Cauliflowers.— J. Robertson, 
Cowde'iiknowes, Earlston, Bencichshire. 
Notes on Onions.— The past summer has been 
a very trying one for all vegetable growth, but it is 
gratifying to note the amount of drought which vege¬ 
tables will withstand if the ground has been previously 
well prepared for their reception. Onions with us do 
not appear to have suffered very greatly during the 
continued drought we experienced through the summer. 
Our mode cf cultivation is as follows. As early as 
possible in the autumn we trench the ground two 
spades deep, and work in a quantity of half-decayed 
manure. The trenching being completed, we then 
place it in ridges so as to admit frost easily, which 
plays an important part on the soil, making it nice and 
friable, for if the soil is not in a good working order in 
the spring, a good crop of Onions need not be looked 
for. About the end of February, if the weather be 
favourable, we make preparations for sowing the seed. 
Before the ridges are worked down, we give a good 
dressing of wood ashes and soot, the latter being an 
important manure for Onions, an excellent fertiliser, 
and also very useful in warding off the attacks of the 
fly. Having applied this dressing, the ground is then 
worked down level and trod as firm as possible ; the 
drills are drawn about £ in. deep, and after the seed is 
sown, are filled in with fine soil with the hands, not 
with the feet or the rake as is too often the case. The 
rake is then passed lightly over the bed to make all 
neat, no roller being used, as I firmly believe rolling 
does more harm than good, for should we get a hard 
shower, and then bright sunshine, the ground in nine 
cases out of ten wili bake so hard, that it is next to 
impossible for the seedlings to push through freely. 
We thin before the Onions attain much size, so as to 
disturb those intended to remain as little as possible ; 
the hoe being used frequently, they soon begin to grow 
away freely. It is also advisable to give them a 
sprinkling or two of soot during the growing season. 
Under this treatment we are able to lift a crop of very 
fair-sized bulbs in the autumn. — W. Cotlercll, Votes 
Court, Kent. 
Wintering Strawberries in Pots. —Calling 
upon Mr. Roberts, at Gunnersbury Park, a few days 
ago, I found that his Strawberries in pots for forcing, 
instead of being laid upon their sides with ashes 
between them, like the old plan, they were stood upright 
in sunken beds, with a stout board round them as an 
edging 4 ins. above the gravel. The pots are stood 
in these beds plunged in cocoa-nut fibre, and there is a 
layer over the surface also, which covers the crowns 
without hiding the leaves. Here they stand exposed 
to all weathers, and Mr. Roberts states that as soon as 
pilaced in the forcing house they start vigorously at 
once. I have reason to believe this plan is much 
followed by gardeners, who are rejecting the old plan 
of wintering the plants, with its increased labour of 
stacking, cleaning, soiling, and watering when the 
forcing time comes round.— R. D. 
Carious Behaviour of Poinsettia pul- 
cherrima. —When cuttings of this Mexican shrub 
are struck annually, as they usually are at the present 
time, and from which the largest heads of bracts are 
obtained, it is very unusual to see them with more 
than one head of bloom aud bracts ; that is, they are 
single-stemmed and unbranched. At Gunnersbury 
Park, Acton, a large number of the spring or early 
summer-struck cuttings have developed from three to 
five branches, which spread out horizontally and then 
turn up at the tips candelabra fashion. The treatment 
they have received is quite ordinary, and nothing 
seems to account satisfactorily for their strange 
behaviour, unless the excessively dry, hot summer had 
to do with it. The only evidence of this was that 
growth became arrested in the plants now exhibiting 
the candelabra-like branching, and developed a few 
terminal flower buds. These after a time dropped off, 
