22 
September 9, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
than the above. The small species not being so 
generally useful as the stronger growing types are 
less often seen in gardens. For general purposes S. 
Limonium, S. L. album, S. L. Gmelini, and S. 
lychnidifolia, are the most useful, and preference 
might be given to the last named if a single species 
only is to be grown, but most of those allied to S. 
Limonium are really all very beautiful. 
THE LARGE-FLOWERED 
RUELLIA. 
Being a winter-flowering plant, like most others of 
its congeners, Ruellia macrantha (seep. 21), should be 
treated from that point of view. At present young 
plants raised from cuttings in spring should be in 
their flowering pots, the 32-size being the most 
suitable. Old plants that have been cut back and 
grown on again will require a larger size, for which 
the careful cultivator’s judgment will be the best 
guide. Large shafts are undesirable, especially as 
our growing season is now far gone. Cool pits or 
frames are the best places to keep them till the 
danger of early frosts in October makes it necessary 
to remove them indoors. At this time they should 
be well exposed to sunlight, with plenty of venti¬ 
lation to harden and mature the wood in preparation 
for flowering in November or December, and on¬ 
wards. The rosy-purple flowers are paler in the 
throat, with a beautiful venation, and individually 
last a long time ; but others keep up a succession for 
weeks together. After the plants cease to flower, 
they should be cut back with the object of getting 
them to produce strong shoots for cuttings. The 
latter root readily in with good bottom heat in a 
compost of loam, peat, and leaf soil, made 
sufficiently porous by the use of plenty of sharp 
silver sand. Pot off as soon as rooted into 60-size 
pots, and in a larger size by the middle of July 
Before this time they will have been placed in a cold 
pit or frame. The accompanying illustration will 
give an idea of a flowering shoot. 
- •t*’ - 
ABOUT CAULIFOWERS. 
Next to Peas and Asparagus, the Cauliflower is 
generally considered the most esteemed of culinary 
vegetables, always a favourite second course dish 
which it should be the ambition of every practitioner 
to meet the demand for as frequently as possible. 
The introduction of the Early Erfurt variety, under 
that and other names has done much to alter 
methods of culture, and very many have now given 
up the sowing of Cauliflowers in the Autumn, relying 
on early spring sowings in heat, the plants so raised 
being first pricked out, and then potted and grown 
on under glass till the weather favours their planting 
out—the first batches in pits or frames, and sub¬ 
sequent ones in a warm sunny position outside. 
Still the old paths will continue to be trodden by 
many who have not the facilities for adapting the 
more modern practice. To these I would say, if not 
already done, no time should be lost in making a 
sowing of Early London for a succession on a warm 
border, or preferably in a frame, because with this 
protection they are more secure from birds, and in 
the event of heavy rains can have the lights put 
over them. At the same time, all coddling should 
be avoided, and everything that can be done to keep 
the young plants sturdy should be attended to, 
keeping them near the glass with an abundance of 
air at all times, except during severe frosts ; slight 
ones will not affect them much. Should the soil 
be dry at sowing time, give it a good soaking 
previous to sowing the seed, and when sown, cover 
with about a quarter inch of light soil and well beat 
down with a spade to make it firm. Then give 
another watering, and the seed bed may not require 
any more till the plants are up, but should the 
weather be dry, they must be watered at least every 
other day. 
When the plants are large enough to handle, pot 
the strongest of them singly into 60 sized pots, or 
plant them out under hand lights or in pits in pre¬ 
pared soil, from four to six inches apart. Plant 
them firm and give a good watering to settle the 
soil round their roots ; a slight shading from bright 
sun is also sometimes an advantage. Give a good 
dusting with lime, soot, or ashes to ward off the 
slugs. A sharp look-out must be kept on these, for 
they soon spoil scores and hundreds of plants. 
Keep the lights off on all favourable occasions, and 
in the event of severe frost, put on sufficient covering 
to exclude it. In many winters Cauliflowers will 
survive if planted under a south wall, or protected 
with a few boughs, but this cannot be depended 
upon, as they are often entirely lost. I have always 
found potted plants to be by far the best, because 
with ordinary care they can be knocked out and 
transplanted with little injury. The first planting 
out from these may sometimes be made in February, 
and when done thus early a few evergreen boughs 
should be placed around them for protection. Other 
plantings should follow at intervals of every two or 
three weeks. With the Early Erfurt and Early 
London for early work, and Veitch’s Autumn Giant 
it is quite possible to have a supply from early 
summer till after Christmas. Veitch’s Cauliflower 
and Brocoli are par excellence the cream of Autumn 
and early Winter vegetables. 
The Cauliflower may be sown in heat early in the 
year and again with the Brocoli outside during 
March. The two distinct sowings will prolong the 
supply, and where there is the necessary accom¬ 
modation, the late ones may, when frost threatens, be 
potted up and placed in an airy shed when they will 
keep good for some time. I have had them good a 
fortnight past Christmas, secured in this way. 
During summer a sharp look-out must be kept to 
have all leaves turned down on opening flowers to 
protect them from the sun, which soon discolours 
them ; and again in the autumn when frost threatens 
a few leaves turned over the heads will save them 
from injury. They will often be growing strongly 
when frost overtakes them, and it is sometimes 
remarkable the small amount of frost it will take to 
discolour them.— W. B. Glasscock. 
-—- 
FINGERS AND TOES. 
Clubbing in Brassicas is in many gardens a terrible 
pest, often rendering the greater portion of a crop 
worthless. Some places are more liable to it than 
others, and some parts of a particular garden may 
be comparatively free from it, while other parts may 
be badly infested I know a market garden in which 
a breadth of some twenty yards is often a loss and 
an eyesore from clubbing, while the rest of the field 
is generally pretty free from it. Gas lime has been 
frequently used on this piece of land to rid it of this 
fungus plague, but the application has never eradi¬ 
cated it altogether, although it has considerably 
lessened the evil. My friend the market gardener is 
most careful to avoid injury to his crops from an 
overdose. He places high value on it as a manure, 
in homoeopathic doses, but the small quantities used 
fail in some measure to destroy the club insect. Soot 
and salt might often be used to immense advantage 
in places swarming with this and other fungus 
plagues. They are also inimical to insect life and 
have a manorial value, for which alone they are well 
worth the little cost incurred in their use. It might 
be well in some instances to curtail the expenditure 
on stable and cow manure and expend the money 
saved on these two valuable fertilisers. 
In a garden very liable to clubbing I recently saw 
a plantation of Brussels Sprouts and Veitch’s Autumn 
Giant Cauliflower where the following plan has been 
adopted to ward off this pest, the results of which 
at present are satisfactory enough to warrant its 
adoption in future seasons. The difference in the 
rows treated, as I am about to describe, was very 
noticeable, but I do not know that the plan is alto¬ 
gether a new one. In any case it may be worth 
while to draw attention to it as likely to be of service 
to many placed in similar circumstances. The plan 
is this : To make a good-sized hole with either a 
potato dibber or a crowbar and fill it up with road- 
grit, in the centre of which the Brussels Sprouts 
were planted in the usual way. Those treated thus 
are certainly much stronger and healthier-looking 
than the rest. It would seem that the roots take 
hold of the road-grit more readily than the garden 
soil, and the grit is presumably free from the club 
spores, so that the young plants are helped by the 
presence of a better-rooting medium, and at the 
same time are protected from insect attacks in the 
first stages of their grow'th. 
I am convinced that much more might be done to 
mitigate the evil if care is taken when planting to 
remove all galls from the plants and destroy every 
grub found in them. In Cabbages loss from clubbing 
may generally be avoided by frequently transplanting 
them, as this gives an opportunity to remove the 
warty excrescences on their first appearance. All 
plants infested with it, beyond hope of their doing 
any service, should be pulled up and burnt.— 
X. Y. Z. 
BRIGHTON FLOWER 
SHOW. 
The second annual Autumn Exhibition of the 
Brighton and Sussex "New” Horticultural and 
Mutual Improvement Society was held on Tuesday 
and Wednesday last, and was in every way a success. 
Of late years the old society has failed to cater 
satisfactorily, but the new management have 
already succeeded in' making this the most popular 
show in the southern counties. Subjoined is an 
abbreviated account, but seeing there were about 
ninety classes, and all well contested, we can only 
give the results of a few of the principal and best 
contested among them. 
Most prominent among those who exhibited, not 
for competition, were Messrs. Cheal & Sons, Crawley, 
who had a splendid lot of fruit, comprising about 
150 dishes, also several Apples and Pears on the 
paradise stock. These drew much attention, being 
so full of fruit and looking mere miniatures. Also a 
collection of Dahlias. Messrs. E. D. Shuttleworth 
& Co., Peckham Rye, had a nice table of foliage 
plants. Messrs. W. Balchin & Sons showed a 
collection of ninety dishes. Apples and Pears, all in 
good condition, Peasgood's Nonsuch and Celeni 
Pippin being particularly showy and large. Mr. G. 
W.Piper, Nurseryman, Uckfield, sent several boxes of 
Roses, clusters of various Teas, and a box of hybrid 
perpetual, Mrs. John Laing being most noticeable. 
The chief classes for competition resulted as 
below;— 
Miscellaneous group, for effect, not exceeding 150 
square feet.—This was an important class, as in 
addition to the prize of £^, a silver cup, value 
£10 I os. was also given, to be won twice in succession 
or three times in the aggregate. The competition 
was keen. First, Mr. E. Wills, Nurseryman, Shirley, 
Southampton ; second, Miss Todd, Shirley, South¬ 
hampton ; third, Mrs. Armstrong, Withdeane, 
while Mr. Turner, gardener to Sir Greville Smythe, 
and Mr. McBean, Cooksbridge, Hove, were recom¬ 
mended for an extra prize. For a group not exceed¬ 
ing eighty square feet, C. J. Inwood, Esq., Dyke 
Road, was first, Chas. Hill, Esq , West Hoathly, 
second, and C. W. Catt, Esq., Brighton, third. 
Groups of Ferns of the same dimensions were also 
very good, and resulted in the Rev. Sir George 
Shiflner, Bart., Lewes, being a good first, Messrs. 
W. Miles & Co., Hove, second, and Mr. G. Miles, 
Dyke Road, third. For six stove and greenhouse 
plants in bloom, Mr. T. Portnell, gardener to Sir A. 
Lamb, was a good first, being followed by J. Warren, 
Esq., of Handcross Park, Crawley, and Mrs. 
Armstrong, Woodslee, Withdeane. The two last 
were very close, in fact the eighteen plants were 
almost all good. Six stove and greenhouse fine- 
foliaged plants, J. Warren, Esq., was first with a 
grand lot, including one of the finest Cycas revoluta 
I have seen ; also grand pieces of Croton princeps 
and Croton angustifolius. Mrs. Armstrong was 
second, and Miss Todd, Southampton, third. Six 
stove and greenhouse Ferns ; first, J. Warren, Esq., 
Handcross Park, Crawley; second, Messrs. W. 
Miles & Co., Hove ; third. Miss Todd Southampton. 
For a specimen ornamental foliage plant, J. Warren, 
Esq., first; Miss Todd, second ; Sir A. Lamb, third. 
For a specimen in bloom, J. Warren, Esq., was also 
first, C. Hill, Esq., West Hoathly, being second, and 
Miss Todd, third. 
Cut Flowers. —Twenty-iour varieties (stove and 
greenhouse); Miss Gibson, Saffron Walden, was a 
splendid first, exhibiting the following in grand style : 
Lapagerias rosea and alba, Allamanda Hendersoni, 
Bouganvillea glabra, Anthuriums, Odontoglossum 
crispum, Cypripedium Harrisianum, and C. Lindenii, 
Cattleyas, and others, certainly one of the best 
exhibits in the show; Mr. Gore, of Polegate, was 
second. For twelve varieties, Mr. T. Portnell, gar¬ 
dener to Sir A. Lamb, Bart., Battle, was first, being 
followed by T, Potter, Esq , Ardingly, and R. J. 
Fletcher, Esq., Preston, in the order named. For 
twenty-four Roses (distinct), Mr. G. Garroway, 
Bailbrook, Bath, was first; Mr. F. Woolard, Cooks¬ 
bridge, second ; and Mr. T. D. Young, Eastbourne, 
third. For twelve Teas, Mr. G Garroway, was 
again a good first; Mr. G. W. Piper, the Nurseries, 
Uckfield: and Mr. Harris, gardener to IMrs. Evers- 
field, Denne Park, Horsham, following in the order 
named. F'or twelve varieties, Mr. Harris, gardener to 
Mrs.Eversfield,Denne Park, Horsham, was first; Mr. 
Laurance, gardener to T. Oliver, Esq.; and Mr. 
