November 17, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
177 
BEGONIAS IN SOMERSETSHIRE. 
November 12th.— The forcing-house is hard at work 
once more, and some pots of “ possibilities ” for 1889 
duly sown and shelved, each covered with a square of 
glass which will he removed as the seedlings appear. 
We shall sow another batch next month, a third in 
January, and a fourth at the end of February for late 
blooming. These last will carry us on in the houses 
until Christmas. 
No singles will be sown before January, as this will 
give ample time to get them big enough for bedding 
out in June ; but in the case of doubles for pot culture, 
it is scarcely possible to have them too early, if only 
they can be given room enough as they increase in 
size. After the past year’s experience, I fancy a very 
large percentage of these will be grown entirely under 
glass. Some of our large growers who rely upon 
bedded-out plants, must have been sorely put to it to 
discover the quality and character of their seedling 
doubles, before the October frosts put further observa¬ 
tion out of the question ; and I should imagine that a 
large purchase of unbloomed seedlings from a good 
firm, at a moderate price, might prove a remunerative 
investment. 
Looking back upon the results of last season, I find 
we obtained fine seedlings—by which I mean improve¬ 
ments on the parent plants—from such doubles as 
Davisi fl. pi., Superba, Felix Crousse, Livingstone (a 
Cactus-like variety sent out by Mr. Beachey), Formosa, 
Madame Arnoult, Mrs. A. Adcock, G. Legros, Madame 
E. Pynaert, &c. A goodly number of named varieties 
will, in consequence, go to the scrap-basket when 
sorting time comes, but their memories will survive in 
their more beautiful descendants. In yellows we pro¬ 
duced nothing remarkable ; indeed, of yellow seedling 
doubles there were not many good specimens to be 
seen in London. Messrs. Cannell sent us a box of 
blooms in the autumn which contained the best yellow 
double I have seen this year, but if report speaks truly 
it is to France we are to look next season for some 
really fine flowers of this colour. 
The singles here were raised chiefly from seed saved 
from selected seedlings of the previous year, and some 
grand beds were the result. The strain was commenced 
some time ago with purchases from Forest Hill. For 
the current year’s seed we have intercrossed our own 
Seedlings, where not related, and have added to these 
a few choice kinds from Messrs. Laing and Messrs. 
Cannell. By-the-way, there is an excellent list of 
these at the end of the little volume entitled The 
Tuberous Begonia, its History and Cultivation, for 
which admirable publication the proprietors of The 
Gardening World deserve the thanks of all growers ; 
of all amateurs, because it simplifies what to many of 
them was a somewhat mysterious subject; of all 
nurserymen, because it cannot fail to interest the 
public in what it aptly calls “ the flower of the future.” 
I have grown Begonias for years, laboriously feeling 
my way, and I can see what time would have been 
saved, and what disappointments avoided, had such a 
book as I have named been ready to hand.— Somerset¬ 
shire Rector. 
- *>». - 
THE “LITTLE NATIONALS.” 
I little imagined that my not ill-natured note on the 
Auricula and Carnation Societies’ proposed application 
to the Crystal Palace Company would have proved to 
be so “fetching.’’ However, the criticisms submitted 
are kindly also, and of the nature one always likes to 
meet with in horticultural discussion. My ire was 
aroused by the report of these “little” societies’ in¬ 
tentions, not only because, as I said, members of the 
council of the R. H. S. and gentlemen not so, but 
always hard upon other societies for not sticking to the 
old ship, were patrons or officials, but also that the 
secretary of both societies is a member of the council 
of the R. H. S. also, and if holding office in a society 
means anything, it means stout and steadfast loyalty 
to that society until, at least, such office can be speedily 
resigned. It may be, perhaps, that the “little 
Nationals” have greater claim upon the sympathies of 
florists than the Royal has. Then it but further 
illustrates the old saying that “ no man can serve two 
masters.” 
Now, with respect to the comparative merits of 
Chiswick Gardens and the Crystal Palace, I must join 
issue with your genial contributor, “ National Car¬ 
nation,” when he pronounces the Palace to be the 
centre of humanity. I venture to assert that there is 
as large a population within one mile circuit of Chiswick 
as there is of the Crystal Palace, also that Chiswick is 
far more accessible from the south-west and north than 
is the Palace ; and whether of Auriculas or Carnations, 
nearly all the exhibitors come from those directions, 
and hardly one from the east or south-east. To the 
Lancashire and Yorkshire, as well as other northern 
growers, Chiswick, vid the North London Railway to 
Gunnersbury, is far more accessible than is the Palace. 
If, therefore, it be shown that Chiswick—admitted by 
“ National Carnation ” to be the centre of horticulture— 
is also a centre, and an important centre, of humanity, 
in addition to its being so admirably placed for accessi¬ 
bility by rail, I have at least shown that my case is 
unassailable. 
Only on one point may the “little Nationals” do 
better by going to the Palace : they may obtain a larger 
subsidy, and, I presume, that is of some consideration. 
Visitors, however, will need special guides to find the 
shows in that huge building. The case of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society admits of no comparison. 
For one person who grows Auriculas or Carnations, one 
thousand persons grow Chrysanthemums, whilst the 
latter flowers give so much that is massive, grand, and 
attractive. The comparison savours of that seen 
between the armies of Monaco and of France. And 
now with respect to “ Exhibitor,” who seems strangely 
to assume that the grand vinery at Chiswick is a place 
of heat and steam in April. That is too absurd 
altogether, as it is hardly that at any time, even in 
July when it is used by the Chiswick Horticultural 
Society. Now in July, farther, the Carnations can 
have the benefit of a light cool tent on the grass—and 
what more delightful or in consonance with these 
modest unassuming flowers 1—whilst, again, there may 
be seen by the visitors, it is to be hoped, a fine show 
of border kinds growing in the open ground. 
“Exhibitor” thinks the London public would not 
go to Chiswick. Do they go to the Palace except on 
special fete days or when there are firework displays ? 
There is a population of one million persons, thousands 
of whom are in good circumstances of life, within easy 
distance of Chiswick. Are these not as good as Crystal 
Palace season ticket holders ?— Leo. 
P.S.—Since writing the above, I have seen a com¬ 
munication from the secretary of the Nationals, in 
which he complains that the report furnished to the 
papers of the Auricula and Carnation Societies’ annual 
meetings was unofficial. That may have been so, but 
the best of unauthorised reports is that we sometimes 
learn the whole truth, whilst in authorised reports we 
learn only what it is thought judicious to make public. 
In the meantime it is satisfactory to learn that the 
council of the Royal Horticultural Society have agreed 
to give a donation of £10 to each of the National 
Societies, if these shows are held under the Royal’s 
auspices. We shall soon see now how far these 
donations may help to make Chiswick a centre of 
humanity, as it is of horticulture. [The reader is 
referred also to p. 179.—Ed.] 
-»-K->- 
THE NEW VEGETABLE. 
Stachys tuberifera. 
I think that in this we have an introduction which to 
all intents and purposes is really new, and not a mere 
improvement upon something we have had for ages. I 
thought at one time that I should have had my curiosity 
gratified by our plants flowering, for it would be in¬ 
teresting to know what the blooms are like. It seems 
that the specific name—tuberifera—has been given to it 
provisionally, and that may or may not do for botanists, 
but a popular name is wanted for it in gardens. The 
first name I saw it figured under in your pages (p. 117, 
vol. ii.) was Choro-Gi, but that will never do, and the 
name adopted in the Paris markets—Crosnes—is almost 
as unsuitable. If spelt 11 Crones ” it might do very well, 
as the roots resemble whelks more than caterpillars. 
We lifted our crop recently, and found them fairly 
productive. We planted only a few sets, probably 
weighing less than 2 ozs., and they produced about 
3 lbs. of tubers. It cannot be claimed for it that it 
will equal any other of our root crops for productive¬ 
ness, but we may fairly assert that a greater weight 
of this edible can be raised off a given area of 
ground than Peas would give ; and its advent is doubly 
welcome, as it is available for use during the long 
winter months when high-class vegetables are often 
scarce. There may in many instances be some little 
difficulty in getting it passed successfully through the 
kitchen to the dinner-table, for some chefs hail anything 
new with delight, while others frown upon novelties 
for a time, so that this new introduction will probably 
encounter many rebuffs before it becomes firmly 
established among us. That it will, however, before 
long become popular I feel well assured, as its flavour 
and unique appearance render it a first-class addition 
to our stock of culinary vegetables. — IF. B. O. 
-«■»$*-- 
TRAINING FRUIT TREES. 
Excepting for orchards the standard form of tree is 
not so popular as it was at one time in small gardens ; 
but it nevertheless shows an Apple tree in its most 
natural form, and when laden with brightly-coloured 
fruit, constitutes one of the most attractive features of 
a garden in autumn. The stock may be grafted at the 
top of the naked stem, but if grafted near the ground 
and the stock allowed to form the stem of the tree there 
is less liability of its being snapped across by the wind. 
Less pruning is required by standards than most other 
forms of tree, and should consist chiefly in thinning 
out the weak, dead, or useless wood. Our illustration 
shows a small-headed tree grown according to this 
system. The fan-shape also shown above is the most 
popular and serviceable form to which Apple trees on 
walls should be pruned and trained. With the excep¬ 
tion of the lowest branches, all the others are nailed to 
the wall in an ascending direction. The upper branches 
should be kept down as low as possible to prevent them 
from making too great headway, which they are apt to 
do and so rob those beneath them of a due share of 
nourishment. The horizontally-trained tree represents 
that known as the espalier, and is chiefly or almost 
wholly adopted for the training of Pear trees on walls, 
fences, or on wires strained between two poles. 
