January 18, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
307 
SODDY’S 
SEEDS. 
CATALOGUE FOR 1890, 
1Vow Heady, Gratis <£• Host Free. 
Extract from Letters received lately : — 
“CERTAINLY SPLENDID VALUE.” 
“ I have had wonderful success with your seeds.” 
“ I am highly pleased with the collection." 
BEN. SODDY, 
Seedsman, 
243 , WALWORTH ROAD, LONDON, S.E. 
VEITCH’S 
CHOICE NOVELTIES 
Of Proved Excellence. 
Veitch's New Tomato, 
HAM GREEN FAVOURITE. 
First Class Certificate Royal Horticultural Society. 
The Heaviest Cropping. 
The handsomest 
and most profitable variety in 
cultivation. 
Per packet, 2s. 6d. 
Veitch’s New Pea, 
AUTOCRAT. 
First. Class Certificate Royal Horticultural Society. 
The best late Marrow Variety. 
Enormously productive, massive 
broad pods, closely filled with peas 
of delicious flavour. 
Per pint, 2s. 6d. 
For full descriptions of the above and other Choice Novelties, see 
SEED CATALOGUE for 1890, forvjarded post free on application. 
,JAME8 VETO & SONS, 
Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, S.W, 
WILLIAMS’ 
H0VELTIIS 
FOR 1SSO. 
Williams’ New Vegetable, 
EARLEY'S HARDY CURLED SPROUT. 
! Raised by Mr. William Earley, of Ilford, from whom we have 
secured the entire stock. He describes it as follows :—“A cro-s 
between the Brussels Sprouts and Kale, Scotch Curled. The 
latter was crossed with Brussel Sprout pollen. This has pro¬ 
duced a robust variety with true Brussel Sprout habit. Per 
packet, 2s. 6d. 
iso: 31,3L. looks’ 
NEW ORNAMENTAL-LEAVED BEET. 
(McGREGOR’S FAVOURITE.) 
Awarded First Class Certificate by the Royal Horticul 
tural Society, September 25th, 1888. 
The leaves are of a rich bronzy crimson colour, narrow, arch¬ 
ing, about 0 to S inches long, and fold inwards, resembling in 
habit a narrow-leaved Dracfena. Per packet, Is. 
nsrxnx.3: s’ 
NEW PRIMULA, “ FIRE-FLY.” 
A beautiful semi-double variety. The colour is of a deep 
crimson, somewhat more intense in shade than “Meteor.” It 
comes very true from seed, and will be found most serviceable 
for conservatory decoration. Per packet, 3s. 6d. 
WH.r.IAMjS’ 
NEW PRIMULA, “ EMPRESS.” 
This is a very fine semi-double variety. The colour is a 
delicate pink, of a very pleasing tone. Per packet, 3s. 6d. 
Illustrated SEED CATALOGUE for 1890, will be 
forwarded gratis and post free to all applicants. 
B.S. WILLIAMS! SON, 
Victoria and Parading Nurseries, 
UPPER HOLLOWAY,LONDON,N. 
ALL SEED S WARRANTED. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TENBY ST„ BIRMINGHAM, 
THE CELEBRATED AMATEUR IMPORTER OF BULBS. 
Having been continually solicited by a large number of my Bulb 
friends to keep a select stock of the best and most reliable 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds, I have decided to do so. 
“Quality before Quantity” being my “motto,” I shall 
spare no expense to get the very best strain of every variety 
offered in this list, and send out all fresh new seeds of the latest 
growth. The majority, if not nearly all ordinary Seedsmen say 
they will not be responsible for the failure of any Seeds. I 
cannot guarantee there shall be no failures, but as the best 
guarantee it is possible to give of rny wish to sell only genuine 
Seeds, I will undertake to replace, free of charge, any Vegetable 
or Flower Seeds from which a fair proportion Tail to germinate 
in due course, under fair and proper treatment, or which do not 
come true to name. 
I shall not confuse my friends with a long list of six or eight 
hundred varieties of Flower Seeds, but confine myself to about 
two hundred varieties that will be satisfactory to purchaser as 
well as seller. In Vegetable Seeds, I contend that few want 
more than six or eight varieties of Peas, three or four sorts of 
Cabbage or Broccoli, two or three of Carrots, one of Parsnips, 
and so on, and where the list is much increased, it often contains 
names manufactured to suit a particular locality, or selected 
stocks of old varieties slightly improved under new names. As 
a proof of this, I have often heard of two or three so-called 
varieties of Seeds being taken from the same bag or drawer. 
One gentleman in the trade went so far as to tell me, in his cata¬ 
logue were four varieties of Parsnips, but all were taken from 
one bag. 
TERMS, strictly cash with order from unknown correspon¬ 
dents ; references given if required. 
All Flower Seeds sent post free ; all general Seed Orders over 
10s. carriage paid ; Orders over £3, 5 per cent, discount; Orders 
over £5, 10 per cent, discount. 
My “UNIQUE SEED LIST,' entered at Stationers’ Hall and 
Copyright, is the most original and useful List ever published 
for amateurs. It contains only the most select varieties of 
Vegetable and Flower Seeds in cultivation, and gives full cul¬ 
tural directions. This List was sent, post free, to all my Bulb 
friends about the middle of December. To all new applicants 
the price will be 6<L, hut this maybe deducted from the first 
order of 5s. or over. 
Choice Primula, Calceolaria, Carnation, and Picotee 
Seeds will be of a specially good strain. 
Best white Raffia Fibre, 6 d. per pound. 
(Please Mention this Paper.) 
Letter Orders have same care as for my own 'planting. 
ROBERT SYDENHAM, 
NEW TENBY STREET, BIRMINGHAM. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Monday, January 20th.—Meeting of the Nursery and Seed Trade 
at the Hotel Windsor, at 5.30 p.m., on the Railway Rates 
question. Sale of Bulbs and Greenhouse Plants at Frotlieroe 
& Morris’s Rooms. 
Wednesday, January 22nd.—Sale of Lily Bulbs at Protheroe & 
Morris’s Rooms. Sale of Bulbs and Plants at Stevens' 
Rooms. 
Thursday, January 23rd.—Sale of Lily Bulbs at Stevens' Rooms. 
Friday, January 24th.—Sale of Established and Imported 
Orchids at Protheroe A Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, January 25th.—Sale of Bulbs and Plants at Stevens’ 
Rooms. 
For Indexto Contents & Advertisements, see p. 317. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JANUARY IS, 1890. 
CURRENT TOPICS. 
1|he Best Apples.— The controversy which 
has lately been going on in The Times 
newspaper, concerning what constitutes a first- 
class Apple, would be interesting were there 
any hope of repressing the personal elements 
of the discussion, but so long as it is the 
practice to fall foul of one writer, because he 
has, to the critic, some objectionable char¬ 
acteristics is, indeed, a sort of non persona 
grata —the discussion is not likely to be 
profitable, and can hardly he said to he amusing. 
The holding of strong opinions respecting 
anything however trivial, always commands 
respect, assuming that the combatants allow 
to each otliei the amplest liberty of thought 
and expression. 
Holders of strong view's, however, too often 
show rabid intollerance tow ards others who are 
perhaps hardly less tenacious of opinions, and 
