April 4, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
499 
With sheaves of golden Daffodils ! 
With hosts of golden Daffodils. 
They picked them near that same old mill ; 
The mill itself was in decay, 
Its wheel 'midst Ferns, fixed and still, 
While silvery ducklings 'neath it play. 
That old, old stream, looked just the same, 
Though more rank weeds had choked its way, 
And boys that went and boys that came 
Did eel not trout there catch at will, 
Or lounge their school hours, Freds and Wills, 
Yet eel not trout, but catch at will, 
And roll among the Daffodils. 
Yes, fifty years ! yes, fifty years, 
What change is wrought by trade and skill! 
Gold vied with gold! and O the tears 
Sad wall-flowers dropt o’er that old wheel— 
Drops like lone ones, full of sorrow— 
Drops like yours and mine to-morrow. 
The glow they missed, where lips oft kist, 
While Mab’s bright bloom was by that mill, 
Where poets now weep, though gold assist 
To gild a throne with Daffodils— 
A royal throne with Daffodils. 
— W. Baylor Hartland, Ardcairn, Cork ; Spring, 1896. 
-- 
ROSES. 
This was the subject of a paper given by the Rev. 
Alan Cheales before a crowded meeting of the 
members of the Reading and District Gardeners' 
Mutual Improvement Association on Monday, the 
23rd ult. Needless to say, the lecture was of the 
most practical and interesting character, and was 
enlivened by witty sayings and pleasant lines of 
poetry with tales of the ardent and disappointed 
exhibitor; The subject was exceedingly appropriate 
at this time, when taking into consideration that the 
National Rose Society, in conjunction with the 
Reading Horticultural Society, will be holding their 
show at Reading in June next. Mr. Cheales com¬ 
menced his paper by saying that it had long been 
his wish to make the acquaintance of the association, 
yet when he received the kind invitation from their 
secretary it was with some amount of trepidation 
that he accepted the same as he knew he would have 
to speak to practical men; still he jielded to no one 
in his devotion to the queen of flowers, and he could 
give them an experience, as a grower and exhibitor, 
extending over thirty years. When he delivered a 
lecture on “Roses" before the members of the 
Reading Literary and Scientific Society he devoted 
himself entirely to the literary and scientific side of 
the question, and not so much the practical part. 
Therefore, when coming to speak to practical men 
he decided to treat the subject from a practical 
standpoint; thus his paper would really be “ Rose 
Culture.” By desire he would divide his paper into 
two parts, so that discussion could take place at the 
middle and end, thus ensuring all points being 
thoroughly discussed. 
1. Roses in general : Preparing the ground, 
planting, protecting, and pruning. Many valuable 
hints were given under the various headings, the 
following being specially worthy of noticeThe 
ground should always be well prepared for Roses, as 
no other flower answered so rapidly to kind treat¬ 
ment. November was considered the best month 
for planting. Hybrid perpetuals would stand 20° 
of frost, and Teas io°. Earthing up was certainly 
the best protection for Teas. Hard pruning always 
gave the most excellent results. For hybrid per¬ 
petuals the last week in February he found the best 
time for these, and the last week in March for Teas. 
For climbing Roses the knife should be spared as 
much as possible. 
2-. The second part of the lecture was devoted to 
propagating, hybridising, and obtaining blooms for 
exhibition. The quickest results were obtained by 
budding; but attention should be given to the 
raising of cuttings and seedlings. A few years back 
France was to the front with seedling Roses, but 
latterly England has rapidly come to the front and 
far outstripped her neighbours across the sea. 
Cuttings should be inserted in October, and if all 
went well they would make nice little plants for 
planting out the following June. Many valuable 
hints were given on obtaining Roses for exhibition 
purposes, on syringing, and the best means of pro¬ 
tecting from sun and rain, As to the best Roses for 
exhibition, he would refer them to Mr. Mawley’s 
annual audit in the Journal 0) HortituituYe, but for 
the best six Roses for all purposes, three hybrid per¬ 
petuals and three Teas, he would give ihem Marie 
Baumann, A. K. Williams, Mrs. John Laing, 
Marechal Neil, The Bride, and Souvenier d'Elise 
Vardon. Reference was also made to hybrid Teas, 
which seem to be the Rose, of the future ; Climbing, 
Bourbon, Australian Briers, Sweet Briers, Noisettes, 
Lord Penzance’s Seedlings, &c. 
The lecturer concluded by strongly urging as many 
as possible to compete for the valuable prizes at the 
forthcoming Rose show, and trusted that Reading 
would do credit to the most popular of flowers. A 
very interesting discussion took place, in which the 
chairman (Mr. T. Neve), Messrs. Turton, Bowie, 
Woolford, Jas. Martin, T. Martin, Lees, &c., took 
part. The interest was greatly enhanced by the 
beautiful collections of flowers that were brought by 
the following members:—Mr. Turton, Maiden 
Erleigh Gardens (Roses of various varieties and 
Violets) ; Mr. Bright, Whiteknights Park Gardens 
(a large bunch of Marechal Neil Roses) ; Mr. Hobbs, 
gardener to W. B. Williams, Esq., Caversham 
(Marechal Neil and Niphetos Roses); Mr. Lees, 
gardener to Mrs. Marsland, The Wilderness 
(Violets) ; and last, but not least, some grand 
specimens of Primula obconica by Mr. Townsend, 
gardener to Sir William Farrer, Sandhurst Lodge. 
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the 
lecturer, and to those members who had brought the 
flowers. 
-- 
GRAPES. 
Notwithstanding the demand for large Grapes in 
shops and markets, the finer-flavoured sorts, are 
Lady Downes (still holding the highest position as a 
latest Grape in Scotland) and Mrs. Pince. The 
latter has come wonderfully to the front in the north 
of late years, and on the exhibition table it holds a 
high place now that its quality is becoming well 
understood by exhibitors and censors. Often at 
Edinburgh and Glasgow it will take prizes, while 
Alicante, Alnwick Seedling, Cooper’s Black, and 
others of exquisite colour, are passed over. 
Colour is often the only quality of certain Grapes, 
and it is wrong, by reason of the deception, to make 
high colour the only deciding quality, while no one 
can eat them. Purchasers are often woefully deceived 
when they pass over Black Hamburghs, and others 
of fine flavour, for grand-looking bunches of Gros 
Marcc. It is seldom that censors are led away with 
Apples, Gooseberries, and other common fruits by 
colour only. Badly-coloured Grapes, which can take 
on a high colour, should not, however, have a place 
in competition at all. Last autumn I was acting as 
a judge along with an intelligent and painstaking 
Englishman and a really “bright” Irishman at 
Belfast, when we had to give the award between 
two black Grapes. Lady Downes and Cooper’s 
Black were the opposing sorts. We each were 
agreed to give the first prize to the Mrs. Pince, in 
preference to its opponent. Mrs. Pince was of its 
ordinary colour, while Cooper’s was nearly perfect 
in appearance, but the bunches small and berries not 
large.— M. Temple, Canon, N.B. 
-- 
SALADINGS. 
A very practical paper on the above subject was 
contributed by Mr. W. Iggulden at the late meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society held on Tuesday, 
March 24th, at which Mr. George Gordon presided. 
In the absence of Mr. Iggulden, the paper was read 
by the assistant secretary. At the outset, the essayist 
* laid stress upon the fact that as a salad-eating, as 
well as a salad-growing, nation we were behind the 
French, and although our chief and central markets 
were, as a rule, well supplied, the supplies in the 
majority of small gardens were of a very fitful 
character, and while there is a glut, now and again, 
this is followed by a great scarcity. The chief 
saladings of which he intended to speak were 
Lettuces, Onions, Mustard and Cress, Cucumbers, 
Beetroot, and Tomatos. 
Lettuces were undoubtedly the basis of a good 
salad, and throughout the summer and autumn 
months there should be no difficulty in obtaining a 
regular supply. To grow Lettuces well, a rich well- 
manured soil was required, as the quality of material 
taken off poor land was always greatly inferior. For 
getting early crops, the best plan is to sow under 
glass and prick the seedings out as soon as they were 
large enough. Subsequent sowings should he made 
all through April, May, and June, at intervals of 
about three weeks, the quantity of seed sown, of 
course, depending upon the demand there is for 
Lettuce. Some care is needed in putting out the 
young plants as they move badly in hot weather. 
The Cos varieties might be grown in rows 1 ft. 
apart, from 6 in. to 12 in. of space being allowed 
between the plants according to the vigour of 
the particular variety grown. Cabbage varieties 
may be grown a good deal closer than this. He had 
found the following Cabbage varieties thoroughly 
reliable, crisp, and of good flavour, and not soon 
running to seed :—Early Paris Market, Golden 
Queen, and Commodore Nutt, for early work; and 
All the Year Round, Perfect Gem, Neapolitan, and 
Continuity, for mid-season and later crops. For a 
Cos variety none that he had tried were, in his 
opinion, superior to the old Brown Bath Cos. 
In including Onions in his list, Mr. Iggulden 
stated that he was well aware that a prejudice 
existed against them on account of their peculiarly 
pungent, and, to some, disagreeable odour. But 
despite this, a handful of young Onions was a welcome 
ingredient towards the making of a good salad. 
They should be used when about 6 in. or 7 in. in 
height, and sowings must be made every two or three 
weeks throughout the months of March to August, 
inclusive, in order to keep up the supply. Preference 
might well be given to the white-skinned varieties 
over the red ones, for salad purposes. 
With regard to Mustard and Cress, it is all-too 
rarely seen in good condition. It is usually short, 
and none too free from grit and dirt. Seed should 
be sown once a week all through the summer. The 
Mustard only must be lightly covered with fine soil. 
Heavy shade and occasional waterings are required, 
for then the stalks grow to a considerable length and 
are more free from the grit. 
Cucumbers, the essayist went on to say, were 
perhaps the most unwholesome of all saladings, and 
yet they were very popular, although the medical 
faculty inveighed so strongly against them. He was 
here reminded of the doctor, who, on being asked 
how Cucumbers should be prepared, said they ought 
to be peeled, sliced, salted, and thrown away. Excel¬ 
lent Cucumbers might be obtained from frames 
placed on hotbeds of 3 ft. or 4 ft. in height, and 
sloping gently to the south. The seed may be sown 
in April, siDgly in 3 in. pots, and the young plants 
put out as soon as they were large enough. One to 
each light would be sufficient. The plants should 
be stopped at the second rough leaf, and the shoots 
resulting at the fourth joint. Cucumbers ought 
never to be allowed to suffer from lack of water, and 
the syringe must be kept regularly at work among 
them to keep down red spider. Shading during hot 
days was also essential. Rollison’s Telegraph is one 
of the very best sorts for frame culture. Tender and 
True is also excellent. 
Tomatos are also thought highly of as salading 
material. When used for this purpose the fruit 
should always be fresh cut, as it was then of much 
better flavour than when it had been gathered some 
time previously. Generally speaking, the red sorts 
were superior in flavour to the yellow ones, although 
the latter might occasionally be introduced for the 
sake of variety. Blenheim Orange is one of the 
best of the yellow sorts. The essayist then went 
into some detail concerning the culture of Tomatos, 
both under glass and in the open air, commenting 
upon the necessity of full exposure to the sunshine,- 
He advocated close planting, and the taking up of a 
single stem, cutting back the laterals, but not 
reducing the foliage too much. It was also a great 
mistake to starve the plants, as they were deep 
feeders, For plants grown und^r glass, there v as 
no better way of inducing the flowers to set freely 
than to tap the stems with a padded stick in the 
middle of the day. Beetroot, continued the essayist, 
is very easy of culture. Some of the Turnip- 
rooted varieties may be raised from seed sown in 
heat, the plants being put out late in April. Good 
roots might then be obtained by June. 
In concluding, Mr. Iggulden gave an excellent 
recipe for a good salad dressing. 
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