November 23, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
183 
A New Potato. —Mark de Laudre, Esq., Crown 
Solicitor, showed samples of a new Potato named Water¬ 
ford Seedling, raised by himself, of very fine form, said 
to be prolific and of superior quality. The judges 
were Mr. P. Aherne, head gardener to the Duke of 
Devonshire, Lismore Castle, and your correspondent, 
who are very grateful for the courtesy and assistance 
received from the secretaries, C. Percival Bolton, Esq., 
Brook Lodge, and J. A. Ower, Esq., Waterford.-- W. 
J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
Sports. 
It will, no doubt, interest “Rifleman,” (p. 167), to 
know that we have here an exactly similar sport on 
Mrs. G. Randle to the one at Orche Hill ; and also a 
sport on Princess Teck with a mauve-coloured band 
dividing the flower into two halves.—22. J. Bayman, 
The Gardens, Eolmbury, Dorking. 
From Mr. J. Souza, The Gardens, Walhampton 
Park, Lymington, we have received specimens of 
the yellow, incurved Mrs. Norman Davis, the apex 
of the florets of which are incurved, and generally 
strongly hooded, and furnished with strong bristly 
outgrowths, reminding us of the coarser ones as they 
occur on Mrs. Alpheus Hard}'. Here again we have 
the occurrence of a tendency towards a race of plumy- 
flowered Chrysanthemums, and one which might lend 
material assistance, in the hands of a good hybridist, 
in obtaining the desired end. Mrs. N. Davis itself is 
a rich golden yellow sport from the soft pinkish white 
Princess of Teck, and what is very remarkable, three- 
fourths of one of the blooms sent were of the normal 
colour, while the other part had sported to Princess of 
Teck. The blooms sent were taken from one and the 
same plant. The bristly outgrowths were less prominent 
on the pinkish white portion of the bloom, but yet the 
tendency was there, and no doubt also exists, to some 
extent, in other sports from the original variety, 
including Lord Eversley, white ; Hero of Stoke New¬ 
ington, rose-pink; Charles Gibson, bronze-red with 
cinnamon-fawn centre ; and Lady Dorothy, pale 
cinnamon-buff, tinted with rose. 
-->Zo- 
SINGLE-HANDED GARDENERS. 
How strange it is in this nineteenth century, which 
boasts of light and leading, that an important 
subject should be allowed to go unnoticed, while trivial¬ 
ities are served with a painfully undue attention. 
When you broached the above important subject a few 
weeks ago, I at once concluded that your timely 
remarks would provoke a very profitable discussion. 
I am extremely disappointed that your solicitations in 
this direction were misapprehended, and consequently 
met with exactly the opposite of what they were 
meant to effect. Yet, perhaps it is not to be wondered 
at, when we take into consideration that this is an 
era of superficial imbibation, and that most people run 
away with erroneous views equivalent at most to half 
a fact. Evidently the philosophic standpoint from 
which you viewed the matter was not perceived by 
any of the writers hitherto dealing with it. 
I am astounded to see that any person could infer 
from your leader that it contained the remotest inten¬ 
tion of disparagement towards the single-handed body. 
With all that you have said I myself entirely agree. 
Nay, more, I venture to go much further in emphati¬ 
cally saying that the single-handed man, let him be 
ever so good a gardener, is quite impotent to add 
anything of great value to the records of horticulture. 
How can he, when in many cases his attention is so 
much divided, in some instances over a dozen distinct 
occupations ? His is not an enviable position, and his 
spare time is well spent in resting his hard-wrought 
limbs on his little parlour sofa. He is a single-handed 
man for reasons very much controlled by necessity, 
and owing to these, whether due to personal causes or 
otherwise, he is fated— unless possessed of energies 
above the average—to plod away and remain in the 
regions of obscurity. 
Moreover, there are many in this class who are not 
only not worthy of the title gardener, but are in reality 
dishonourable to the ancient prestige of the art. This 
does not affect the fact that able men—men who have 
to some extent made themselves a creditable name—'are 
to be found in the class as well. One thing that I have 
observed as almost peculiar to the single-handed 
gardener is the inconstancy of his ambition. It appears 
to come in fits and bounds, to as soon die away for a 
time in perfect repose, and probably each time renewed 
it loses in force and intensity, like some gigantic 
monster of the deep in its death throes. 
When all hope of doing anything for himself has 
vanished, he relapses into the very mistaken hope that 
some occult outward force will some time and somehow 
pitch him to the top the of tree ; in fact, a species of 
fatalism has grown with the decline of ambition. It 
should be plain to every person, that in whatever walk 
of life they are, the making of a name and character 
is altogether at their own disposal. This, of course, 
means hard work ; but nevertheless it is true, and what 
is termed influence does not affect it in the least. Most 
people pay pretty dearly for influence. There is nothing 
under the sun but which requires some effort to 
secure it. The day of bliss that will rain down fortune 
upon us assuredly will never come, and withal life is 
not a series of accidents. Therefore most intelligent 
men will agree that defective knowledge and energy 
are the chief causes of the gravitation of the single- 
handed gardeners. 
In the struggle for existence, the all-round practical 
man, not only of his profession, butof things in general, 
is the man who is sure to rise above the average. 
Knowledge is a power wielded aright in the hands of a 
sensible man, that breaks down all obstacles before it. 
Knowledge of human nature is as essential for success 
as that of gardening, and many of our good men in the 
ranks of the single-handed class, in a great measure owe 
their success to this fact.— Gamma, Edinburgh. 
I thought your remarks on this subject not at all ill- 
natured or untimely, and many I know can endorse 
the truth of the statements adduced. But it occurs to 
me that some of us who spenl a pleasant evening or 
two during the week at “scribbling” forget that to a 
considerable extent we are our “brothers’ keepers,” and 
though there is much catering to supply the wants of 
the practical cultivator, there is not a deal to initiate 
the novice iuto the indispensable amenities connected 
with practical gardening. Telling one to do a thing, 
an 1 when to d > it, is n >t the instruction which many 
of the class inlieated really want. We go a little 
further, and assert that journeymen, in half the cases 
we have met, require instruction in details which are 
not found in any gardening literature that has ever 
come under my notice. Tuition in how to handle tools, 
pot plants, plant, systematically water, take levels, 
and hundreds of items, which many of the young men 
who are doing their best to gain experience and in¬ 
struction never have the opportunity of acquiring. To 
say that apprentices get this knowledge from their 
superiors is not always correct, because such cannot 
often be taught them, as endless items are not 
practised in every place. Therefore a migratory spirit 
is engendered, which does more to retard the prospects 
of young men than advance them. Numbers of them are 
forced to take single-handed places against their will ; 
but even in these situations men have distinguished 
themselves, and some of the best known places and 
men in the country were numbered at one time among 
the single-handed one3. Many places are filled by 
handy labourers, who in time aspire to the title of 
practical gardeners, and for such, as well as for 
amateurs, we would like to see in gardening literature 
something more special.— Stirling. 
-- 
IfoTES from Scotland. 
—*•— 
Chrysanthemums in Perthshire.— That the 
past season has been eminently suited to the growth of 
the Chrysanthemum is amply borne out by the excellent 
condition of the various collections to be seen through¬ 
out this district. Last Saturday, along with a couple 
of enthusiastic amateurs, I had the pleasure of examining 
three of the principal collections in the suburbs of the 
“Fair City.” Favourod with splendid weather, we 
commenced with the capital collection under the charge 
of Mr. Blackley, at 
Garry Cottage, 
Which is pleasantly situated on the north bank of the 
majestic Tay, the garden sloping with a gentle incline 
to the edge of the river. We had heard a good deal of 
Mr. Blackley’s success this season with his favourites, 
and having seen his splendid stand which a few nights 
previously received a First Class Cultural Certificate 
from the Literary Branch of the Royal Horticultural 
Society of Perthshire, we went expecting a treat, and 
were certainly not disappointed. It could easily be 
seen that Mr. Blackley has made a thorough study of 
Chrysanthemum cultivation, and he is to be congratu¬ 
lated on the successful issue of his year’s toil, as both 
the specimen plants and those grown for large blooms 
were almost faultless. 
Amongst the novelties we noticed Mrs. A. Hardy 
only half expanded, but promising to be a decided 
acquisition, and doubtless after it has had a fair trial it 
will prove equal to the high character it has come 
with. Sunflower is also a gorgeous flower, with long 
drooping florets of a pleasing yellow tint. Lady 
Lawrence is a superb flower, with petals pure white 
and very broad, a superb exhibition variety. Mrs. 
J. Wright seemed rather thin, and lacked the massive 
appearance of the previous varieties, but it adds variety, 
and is well worth growing. Ralph Brocklebank may 
be described as a yellow Meg Merrilies, as it really is, 
resembling in every detail its parent. Elwin Moly- 
neux we observed very fine from the terminal bud, the 
colour being much brighter ; the same remark applies 
to W. Holmes and other coloured sorts. It would be 
difficult to enumerate in full all the fine varieties, as 
each seemed to vie with its fellow in excellence. The 
following, however, we noted especially fine :—Duchess 
of Albany (Jackson), Fimbriatum, Mr. Bunn, Jeanne 
Defaux, Madame de Sevin (very fine), Boule d’Or, 
E louard Audiguier, Peter the Great, Soleil Levant, 
Madame Lacroix, Bouquet Fait, &c. 
PlTCULLEN 
Was our next, and here we were met by Mr. Leslie 
with his usual courteous welcome. Time being 
limited, we had to hurry through the vineries, taking 
only a passing glance at the excellent Grapes. They 
were really superb ; splendid Muscats, Alicantes, Gros 
Colmars and Lady Downes, almost perfect in bunch 
and berry and capitally finished. Chrysanthemums, 
however, were the object of our visit, and all else had 
for the nonce to stand aside, receiving only a cursory 
glance. Amongst those we noticed specially Mr. Bunn 
was in capital condition. Lord Alcester, magnificent, 
and is one of the finest incurved varieties we have. 
Maiden’s Blush, very fine; Elwin Molyneux, goad; 
Comte de Germiny, a grrgeous variety ; Sceur Dorothee 
Souille, very fine ; Amy Furze, excellent; and many 
others which time and space will not permit me here 
to enumerate. 
Tayside 
Was our next point, and here we found Mr. Mac 
Donald ready to show us the many fine things under 
his care, all of which we must perforce pass over 
in silence. The Chrysanthemums at Tayside are 
arranged on either side of a spacious corridor leading to 
the billiard room, and are at present very gay. 
Avalanche was in splendid condition, three plants in a 
pot, each bearing three blooms all fit for the exhibition 
board. Mrs. Wheeler was represented by massive 
blooms, long and broad in the petal ; this Mr. 
MacDonald considers vastly superior to E. Molyneux, 
and as grown by him it certainly is. Lord Alcester, 
very fine ; Florence Piercy, Refulgence, Ralph Brockle¬ 
bank, splendid ; Mrs. Falconer Jameson, first rate from 
the bud taken at the first break. Much more might 
be said, but pages of letterpress would not convey 
anything like an adequate idea of the superb quality of 
the three collections under notice.— Arbutus. 
Ayr Chrysanthemum Show.—The second 
exhibition of Chrysanthemums and other winter-flower¬ 
ing plants held by the Ayrshire Horticultural Society, 
took place in the Town Hall on Friday, November 
15th. The number of entries considerably exceeded 
those of last year, and the plants and cut blooms fully 
maintained their standard of excellence. For the 
competition for pot plants, Mr. Thomson, Amber 
House, took the leading position, his two specimens 
of La Triumphante and Elaine being remarkably well 
flowered. In the first prize stand of Japanese cut 
blooms staged by Mr. Geddes, of Knock Castle, Comte 
de Germiny, E. Molyneux and Countess of Ellesmere 
were the most notable, but all showed evidence of high 
cultivation. A choice collection of greenhouse and 
stove cut flowers, and a number of tastefully arranged 
bouquets of Chrysanthemums formed an interesting 
feature of the exhibition, as did also a table of fruit 
including a few stands of well-furnished Grapes of the 
Gros Colmar and Alicante varieties. — JVestern. 
-- 
NOTES ON VEGETABLES. 
Yeitch’s Autocrat Pea. 
There can be no doubt that for a late crop this is one 
of the best Peas grown. As late as last Wednesday 
(November 13th) a fine dish of it was gathered in the 
gardens of Mrs. Oakley, of The Grove, Seaton. The 
fine autumn and the favoured climate of Devon had, 
no doubt, something to do with it, but it is so vigorous 
a grower that Autocrat will survive long after many of 
its rivals have yielded up the ghost.— Devoniensis. 
