March 8, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
421 
week or two Mr. Brown, with an efficient staff of 
workmen, has done much in getting the work forward. 
— Arbutus. 
Train-loads of Flowers.—The French journals have 
lately made known the formation of special trains 
bringing every day about noon Yiolets and Roses, 
which are sold in enormous quantities in the streets of 
the capitals of France, England and Belgium. In 
their passage through the covered stations these trains 
betray themselves by the sweet perfume which emanates 
from the waggons, in spite of the packing which 
protect the flowers. It is for the employes a veritable 
delight. The principal train leaves Lyons at 5 p.m., 
and its destination is for Paris only. The trains travel 
with great rapidity. The Yiolets are packed in little 
baskets about 15 ins. long and 12 ins. wide. The 
charges for transport are valued at Is. 2d. for 5 kilo¬ 
grammes (a kilogramme equals 2 lbs. 3J ozs. of our 
scale of weight). Every train-load of Violets includes 
about 5,000 kilogrammes. 
The Chinese Sacred Lily.—It is now well known 
that the bulbs sold under this name are those of a 
variety of Narcissus Tazetta, or the Polyanthus Nar¬ 
cissus. A pot of flowering bulbs was shown by Mr. E. 
Chadwick, gardener to E. M. Nelson, Esq., at a 
meeting of the Ealing and District Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association, on the 26th of last month. 
The general opinion amongst the gardeners was that it 
did not fully come up to their expectations. Some 
were inclined to consider it an old variety—namely, 
F. T. Grand Monarque. A more) generally applied 
name is N. T. Grand Emperor. Considering the 
number of varieties of this species, and that about 100 
have received distinct specific names, it 
is not surprising that there should be 
difficulty in assigning to it the propername. 
Its wide distribution—namely, from the 
Canary Islands to Cashmere, China, and 
Japan, would account for its great 
variety. That under notice has large 
flowers, with broad imbricated white seg¬ 
ments, and a medium-sized deep yellow 
crown. In these respects it would come 
near Grand Monarque, Bazelman Major, 
and Her Majesty, but the two latter have 
the corona more or less of an orange hue. 
A Hybrid Vriesia.'—There is a fine 
coloured figure of a hybrid named Yriesia 
Morreno - Barilletiana in L’ Illustration 
Eorticole, pi. 91. The seed parent was 
Yriesia Barilleti, a species introduced from 
the Andes of Ecuador, in 1883, and de¬ 
scribed by the late Professor Morren. The 
pollen parent was a variety of Yriesia 
psittacina—namely, V. p. Morreniame. 
The type of the latter was introduced 
from forests near Rio Janeiro, in 1828, 
and was described by Lindley. Both types 
are already grown in this country, and are notable, for 
their dwarf compact habit, and the beautiful colour of 
the compressed spike of bracts. Those of Y. Barilleti 
are yellowish olive, and M. L. Duval conceived the 
idea of imparting to them the red colour so conspicuous 
in Y. psittacina. In this he has succeeded ; for the 
basal portion of the bracts of the hybrid are of a deep 
red, forming a band of that colour running from the 
base to the apex, and along the middle of the spike, 
while the rest is yellowish olive, with an occasional 
tint of red. Add to this the greater size of the in¬ 
florescence of V. Barilleti, and one can conceive the 
ornamental value of the hybrid. From the time the 
cross was effected till the seedlings flowered four years 
elapsed. The leaves are of a brighter green, and some- 
what more erect than those of the seed parent. The 
species of Vriesia are now included under Tillandsia. 
-<►»£«■»- 
FRUIT CATALOGUES. 
It is a source of much regret to find such incorrect 
descriptions of fruits as are to be seen in some cata¬ 
logues, and such as one would consider to be of the 
most reliable character. It is simply astounding to 
observe the difference in the descriptive lists of some 
nursery firms : what one calls first-rate and large, others 
describe as medium sized and of inferior flavour. 
It would be waste of space in The Gardening World 
to enumerate all the cases of gross error which prevail; 
they are so numerous. Let us take note of one or two 
descriptions of Grapes in a popular catalogue: for 
instance, Barbarossa is described as a medium-sized 
bunch, while it is well known that it often produces 
the largest bunches of black Grapes grown ; I have 
often had them from 7 lbs. to 10 lbs. in weight, and 
others have grown them much heavier than this figure 
indicates. 
Black Prince is said to be large in the berry, but I 
never saw it except as an under-sized berry. The best 
I have seen exhibited was by the late Mr. Hill, when 
at Keele Hall ; prime examples have also been grown 
at Coombe Abbey, by Mr. Miller, as well as under 
our own charge. I might go on in this strain 
with all the kinds of fruits offered for sale by growers 
and do no tangible good, but it would be well if 
nurserymen, who in most cases are painstaking men 
and make strenuous efforts to be bona fide in all busi¬ 
ness transactions, took some better means to get the 
necessary information regarding what is offered in their 
catalogues for purchasers. Samples of fruit in its true 
character should be procured and examined before a 
description is committed to the press.— Stirling. 
-->X<-- 
HYMENOOALLIS CARIBiEA. 
The foliage of this species is evergreen like that of H. 
speciosa, so that when out of flower the plant is yet 
sufficiently ornamental to deserve a place in the stove 
or warm conservatory during the winter months, when 
flowering plants are not over plentiful. The flowers 
vary from six to twelve, and are arranged in a close 
umbel on the angular scapes, that are somewhat shorter 
than the leaves. The latter, however, are so gracefully 
recurved as not to interfere with the flowers, as may be 
seen by reference to our illustration. The segments 
are narrow, but 3 ins. to 3^ ins. long, and recurve 
gracefully so as to bring the obconic cup or corona 
bearing the stamens into prominence. The whole 
Pomona, Councillor, Quarrenden, The Queen, and 
Peasgood’s Nonsuch have been neglected—but only for 
a time. 
Dwzrf Apples on the Paradise stock have been 
largely planted, and the early-bearing Ecklinville, 
Stirling Castle, Lane’s Prince Albert, Grenadier, Lord 
Grosvenor, and Julien have been the favourites. 
Pears have scarcely been asked for, but Hessle and 
Pitmaston Duchess have sold the best. 
Of Plums Rivers’ Prolific has been in great request, 
followed by the Czar, Victoria, and Pond’s Seedling. 
Damsons have sold wonderfully well. 
Cherries have been planted eagerly, the Bigarreau 
race being the favourites ; but such fine blacks as 
Waterloo, Werder’s, aud Black Eagle have been asked 
for, while the Kentish and Flemish Reds are justly 
appreciated. 
In Soft fruits, Gooseberries of all sorts have been 
sold quite out, Lancashire Lad taking the lead as 
regards numbers, but Whinham’.s Industry has been in 
demand. Red Currants have been a slow sale, Raby 
Castle (dark red) being the favourite. Black Currants 
have been more in request, the Kent, Baldwins and 
Lee’s Prolific—the latter especially—going the best. 
The foregoing remarks apply exclusively to sorts 
planted for market work. For ordinary garden planting 
the trade has been generally good, and the increasing 
interest which gentlemen are taking in their fruit 
gardens has led gardeners, and we think rightly, to 
plant a variety. In Pears, Doyenne du Comice takes 
the lead ; in Apples, Cox’s Orange Pippin ; in Plums, 
the Gages ; 
desiderata. 
and flavour combined with size are the 
Exhibition beauties have engaged attention, 
and in a few years several fresh com¬ 
petitors may be expected in the field. Of 
the newer sorts of Apples, Bismarck takes 
precedence. In Peaches, the fine early 
sorts, Waterloo and Alexander, are the 
most sought after, and no Nectarine is 
more appreciated than Lord Napier.— Oeo. 
Bunyard A Co., Old Nurseries, Maidstone. 
flower is pure white, and, although not very long lived, 
is deliciously fragrant. The plant is dwarfer and more 
compact than that of many allied plants, and therefore 
easily accommodated. The bulbs are 3 ins. or 4 ins. 
in diameter, and should be inserted singly in pots of 
moderate size, or three together in a larger one. 
HARDY FRUITS IN DEMAND. 
In your issue for January 18th, you asked for some 
information from a fruit-grower’s point of view of the 
sorts of fruit which are being largely planted at the 
present time. We give you a list of those which have 
sold freely during the present planting season, but 
while doing so must remark that one season’s sale 
cannot be taken as a guide, as the demand shifts from 
season to season, and this makes it so difficult for 
nurserymen to keep stock and reduce sorts. Y r e 
propagate about 150 varieties of Apples. Five years 
ago all the planters craved for early kinds, and when we 
had worked up a stock they wanted late ones, and it 
has always been so in our experience. 
Glancing over our quarters we find that the following 
Apples have been most in demand, in the order named. 
For market standards:—Wellington or Dumelow’s 
Seedling, Blenheim Orange, Cox’s Orange Pippin, 
Ecklinville, Lord Grosvenor, Lane’s Prince Albert, 
Lord Derby, Bramley’s Seedling, Warner’s King, and 
Gascoigne’s Scarlet ; and in lesser quantities, Lord 
Suffield, Cockle Pippin, and King of the Pippins. It 
will be noted that these sorts fruited well last season, 
and that always to a great extent governs the demand. 
Such fine Apples as the Duchess of Oldenburg, Cox’s 
NOTES ON PEACHES. 
It is refreshing to read the sound and 
forcible remarks of Mr. Kipling on Peach 
management at p. 391, and no reader 
need now have even a reasonable excuse 
for failure, if the advice given is carefully 
and intelligently followed ; but as one’s 
own experiences often differ from one’s 
fellows, I may be excused for reverting to 
the subject of bud-dropping. It has been 
a special portion of my duties, during a 
period of many years, to have Peaches 
early, abundant, and good—say, from 
about the end of April to the middle of 
May as the first crop, and for such 
supplies I have always managed to get a good set of 
fruit. When there has been any bud dropping, it has 
happened in the later houses, but I have never had 
any worthy of consideration. 
It has never fallen to my lot to be able to set Peach 
houses apart for the growing of that estimable fruit 
alone. I have always had to cram them with bedding 
plants or other subjects for decorative purposes. The 
present season is no exception, but I do not remember 
ever seeing the Peach trees, on the whole, more pro¬ 
mising than they are at this time. A tree of Belle 
Bauce Peach and a Hardwicke Nectarine are exceptions 
in being less fruitful than their fellows, which are under¬ 
going thinning in a very summary manner by rubbing 
clean off all the buds at the back of the shoots, and 
allowing those next the sun to stand clear of each other, 
in order to admit of the development of their blossoms. 
There is another matter in which I am not in touch 
with your correspondent—viz., that of “resting.” I 
have always held that the maturation of the wood 
should be early and thorough, which does not mean, 
however, denuding the trees of their foliage by insects or 
any other means ; that simply means neglect and mis¬ 
management. I like to see the wood hard and brown 
as soon as the crop of fruit is removed, and then growth 
to cease altogether. In the early house the leaves 
should remain green aud quite fresh to the end of 
September. They may be pruned during October, and 
ready to start forcing by November. The moving of 
the buds should be slow and steady, and the assistance 
of artificial heat called into requisition only as a 
necessary evil. Many of the failures we hear result 
from a sudden start from the dormant state to active 
existence, This season we are not forcing to supply 
