70 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 30, 1893. 
■whiteness reminding one of fine linen that has been 
treated with indigo in the process of bleaching, but 
the behaviour of the plant does not commend it at 
present. 
Open Air Plantation. 
In spite of the long-continued drought and the 
aridity of the atmosphere throughout the season, 
the Begonias in the open ground are much finer than 
we have ever seen them before. About two acres 
are planted with them, and the soil is anything but 
suitable in face of such emergencies like the past 
season. It consists of gravel with a thin surfacing 
of clay, and to achieve the present results the hose 
has been kept incessantly at work amongst the 
Begonias, all day and sometimes well into the 
evening. At one end of the ground the single 
varieties are planted in long beds, two of each 
colour, and it is astonishing how true they are to a 
colour, very few rogues being perceptible in beds of 
seedlings planted with the view of getting them true 
to character for bedding purposes. This result is 
obtainable by avoiding the crossing of parents with 
different coloured flowers. For instance, two of the 
beds are white, others scarlet, pink, crimson, golden, 
orange-bronze, rose, crimson-scarlet, yellow, and 
blush, in all cases two beds of each kind. The 
white varieties usually develop a pink tint on the 
outer face of the sepals, in the open air, but some 
of the seedlings are pure white even under those 
conditions. Those varieties which have been raised 
by the crossing of different coloured flowers are 
planted in other beds by themselves. 
Almost equal success has been obtained with 
the beds of double-flowered seedlings, the yellow 
kinds being the only exception. The usual fault of 
the double strain is that there is a great amount of 
reversion to singles. The percentage of singles that 
have turned up amongst them is very small indeed, 
and as a rule the form of the flower is all that could 
be desired. Many of them are indeed as large and 
as perfect as they would be under glass. White, 
yellow, orange, scarlet, picotee, and other colours 
are particularly fine. Quite a houseful of the best 
and most promising types have been lifted, potted, 
duly labelled, and placed under glass. Something 
like 135 sorts have thus been secured to test next 
year, under more equal conditions, so as to demon¬ 
strate what they really are. Then a further sifting 
will take place, and only the cream of them will be 
retained. Under glass, cutting: of approved kinds 
are being very extensively propagated. 
PRIMULA "*bBCONICA. 
Its Poisonous Properties.' 
Since the introduction of this, in many respects, 
useful greenhouse flowering plant not a few 
instances have been chronicled of more or less 
injurious effects having been experienced by 
gardeners coming into contact with it whilst 
engaged at work, or in the necessary manipulations 
of repotting or otherwise handling the flowers or 
foliage. Only recently, when referring to such 
instances in conversation with the foreman of a 
large plant establishment, he informed me that in 
superintending show-house arrangements he had to 
avoid handling this Primula, otherwise an acutely 
painful affection of the skin would immediately 
follow. 
Another recent case which has come under my 
notice was a somewhat serious one. It relates to a 
young man, previously an assistant of mine, who, 
when engaged at work in a plant house, his eye 
accidently came into contact with a flower truss of 
one of these plants. The result was that it soon 
afterwards became very painful and ultimately his 
eyesight for several weeks was partially lost, which 
the medical faculty in Glasgow, under whose treat¬ 
ment he placed himself, attributed to the effects of 
his coming into contact with the P. obconica. 
Should this communication come to the knowledge 
of any sufferer from the same cause it may possibly 
be useful for him to know that in the case I have 
just referred to frequent bathing with cold tea 
during the day, together with the regular applications 
of poultices of tea leaves on retiring to rest for 
several nights in succession was the last among 
other remedial measures adopted. The result of this 
treatment was that within a few days a cure was 
effected— M., Ayrshire. [For hands and arms half 
a wineglass of Condy’s fluid mixed with a pint of 
water is recommended as a safe and quick cure. 
Bathe the parts affected and let the lotion dry in.— 
Ed.] 
Cabbages for Spring. 
When a Cabbage is at its best there are few things 
in the way of culinary vegetables that excel it for 
delicacy of flavour, and when obtainable in first- 
rate condition nothing is more acceptable during 
April and May, before the ground gets dry. It too 
frequently happens that owing to summer droughts 
cabbages lose the delicate flavour for which they are 
so highly esteemed, and other things becoming more 
plentiful, the cabbage is refused admittance to the 
dining room during the summer months. Those 
who are expected to furnish a supply early in the 
season should lose no time in making a plantation 
on well-manured soil. If a choice can be made, a 
somewhat dry spot will be better than a damp one. 
Plant from 20 in. to 24 in. apart according to the 
richness of the soil and variety used. Enfield 
Market and other similar large growdng kinds will 
require 24 in. Ellam’s Dwarf from 18 in. to 20 in. 
This latter has for some years been our favourite 
variety, as it turns in quickly, and makes few out¬ 
side leaves. Let the plants down to the lower leaves 
in the soil, and if dry, water well. Take care to set 
the plants firm in the soil, as workmen will occa¬ 
sionally be careless about this. There is a knack of 
firming them expeditiously by inserting the dible a 
little aslant towards the plant, and giving it a slight 
twist towards it; this will fasten the plant firm in 
the soil at one turn. I have often noticed workmen 
punching away three or four times in a straight 
direction, and then found that many of the plants 
have been loose. Keep the ground clear from weeds 
by frequent hoeing, preferably with the Dutch hoe, 
because the weeds are not trodden down with its 
use. All losses from slugs or grub should be made 
good as they occur.— IF. B. 
- ^ - 
PINE GROWING, &c., 
BY MR. G. T. MILES. 
It is many years since I was familar with the quali¬ 
fications of Mr. Miles as a high-class cultivator of 
fruits and vegetables as well as a genial and 
thoroughly qualified man in other respects, and, 
therefore, I can endorse what is stated regarding this 
veteran in your issue of last week. My object at 
present in troubling you with these few remarks, is 
to ask—as Mr. Miles is so explicit with his pen in 
giving information on things horticultural—-whether 
it would not be possible to induce that high-class 
man (this is how friend Gilbert at Burghley once 
expressed himself regarding Mr. Miles) to give a 
brief outline in your columns of his practice with 
Pines, as to how he is able to fruit them with 
advantage in the short space of time indicated—ten 
months. 
There are yet a great many places in which Pines 
are cultivated (though comparatively few to what 
there once was) and I fear that there has, in some 
cases, at least, been some retrogression in practice 
in the cultivation of the Queen of fruits. It is sel¬ 
dom now that we see at shows many Pines of first- 
rate quality, and often they should not be tabled for 
exhibition at all. I have always felt that I did well 
if I could get fruit of fine size and of good quality 
ripened within eighteen months. Sometimes, now 
and again, a " starter ” may come in fairly good 
within the year, but such is the exception and not 
the rule. I know some cultivators who grow their 
plants quickly to a good size during the spring and 
summer months, but they get into poor condition 
during winter, no doubt by injudicious watering, a 
cold damp bottom, or it may be too much bottom 
heat! I know that if Mr. Miles would give some 
■details of his management, that gentleman would be 
'doing special service to the rising generation of 
gardeners.— Stirling. 
-- 
HARDY FRUIT SHOW AT 
EARL’S COURT. 
The prizes offered for hardy fruit brought out a 
large number of entries for the show on the 27th, 
28th, and 29th inst. The large tent was given up to 
competitive exhibits with few exceptions. The 
tables in the tent were completely occupied with 
Apples, Pears, with smaller lots of Grapes, Tomatos. 
Peaches, Plums, and some attractive exhibits of 
vegetables. The miscellaneous exhibits were very 
numerous, but were mostly relegated to the main 
exhibition building. The first prize for twenty-four 
dishes of dessert Apples was awarded to Messrs. 
Geo. Bunyard & Co., Maidstone, whose fruits were 
as nearly as possible of uniform size for so many 
sorts, and highly coloured. Mr. H. Berwick, Sid- 
mouth, Devon, was a good second. Mr. John Scott, 
Merriott, Somerset, took the third place with highly- 
coloured sorts. Messrs. Geo. Bunyard & Co. also 
took the first aw'ard for forty-eight different varieties 
of culinary Apples, which made a brave display. 
Mr. G. Woodward, gardener to R. Leigh, Esq., 
Barham Court, Maidstone, had many fruits of 
enormous size, and took the second prize. Mr. John 
Scott took the third place with some grand fruits 
notwithstanding. The first award for twelve dishes 
of dessert Apples was again taken by Messrs. Geo. 
Bunyard & Co.; Mr. G. Woodward followed; and 
the English Fruit and Rose Company, Hereford, 
was third. Mr. G. Woodward came to the front 
for twelve dishes of culinary Apples, which were of 
handsome dimensions; Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co. 
were second; and Mr. H. Berwick was third. 
Messrs. T. Rivers & Son, Sawbridgeworth, had the 
only table of hardy fruits arranged for effect. The 
Bijou Apple trees in pots were heavily laden with 
highly-coloured fruits and handsome. They were 
accorded the first prize. The first award for twenty- 
four dishes of Pears was taken by Mr. G. Wood¬ 
ward with fruits of imposing size ; Mr. G. Gold¬ 
smith, gardener to Sir. E. G. Loder, Bart., 
Leonardslee, Horsham, was second with fine fruits ; 
Mr. W. Iggulden, gardener to the Earl of Cork, 
Marston House, Frome, was third with smaller but 
riper specimens. Mr. A. Offer, Handcross Park, 
Crawley, had the best twelve dishes of Pears ; Mr. 
R. Smith, Presdale Gardens, Ware, Herts, was 
second; Mr. H. Berwick was third. Messrs. Geo. 
Bunyard & Co. had the first prize for twelve dishes 
of Apples and Pears grown in an orchard house; 
Messrs. T. Rivers & Sons were second. Mr. G. 
Woodward had the best three dishes of dessert 
Apples, in Cox’s Orange, Ribston Pippin, and 
Washington; Mr. J. Hall, Croscombe Wells, 
Somerset, was second ; and the English Fruit and 
Rose Company was third. Mr. G. Woodward had 
the best three dishes of Peaches ; Messrs. T. Rivers 
& Son were second; and Mr. ' A. Offer was third. 
Messrs. T. Rivers & Son were awarded the first 
prize for six dishes of Plums. Mr. C. J. Waite, 
gardener to Col. Talbot, Glenhurst, Esher, had the 
two best dishes of Plums. 
In the amateurs’ classes the first award for twenty- 
four dishes of Apples was taken by Mr. G. Wood¬ 
ward with grand samples ; Mr. G. Goldsmith was 
second; and Mr. G. Chambers, Beech Farm, Mere- 
worth, Maidstone, was third. Mr. S. H. Goodwin, 
Smartswell, Mereworth, Kent, had the best twelve 
dishes in grand samples; Mr. Austin T. Killick, 
Weavering, Maidstone, was a good second ; and Mr. 
G. Goldsmith was third. Mr. W. Minifie, Beatlands, 
Sidmouth, Devon, had the best six dishes; and Mr. 
G. Chambers was second. Mr. W. Wiles, gardener 
to Mrs. Phillips, Munstead Park, Godaiming, had the 
best six dishes of Pears. Mr. G. Chambers had the 
best six dishes of dessert Apples; and Mr. R. 
Potter, gardener to Sir M. Collet, Bart., St. Clere, 
Kemsing, Sevenoaks, was second. Mr. G. Gold¬ 
smith had the best twelve dishes of Pears in hand¬ 
some samples. Mr. Wm. Allan, gardener to Lord 
Suffield, Gunton Park, Norwich, was a good second. 
The best collection of twelve kinds of vegetables 
was taken by Mr. Thomas Wilkins, gardener to 
Lady Theodora Guest, In wood House, Henstridge, 
near Blandford, who had splendid Carrots, Cauli¬ 
flowers, Onions, Leeks, Celery, Tomatos, etc. Mr. 
C. J. Waite was second with a neatly set-up collec¬ 
tion, but he lost a point or two in some of his kinds. 
Mr. J. Friend, gardener to the Hon. P. C. Glyn, 
Rooksnest, Godstone, was third with a very good lot. 
There were seven entries. Mr. E. Ryder, The 
Nursery, Orpington, had the best dish of Tomatos ; 
and Mr. J. Strong, gardener to P. R. Morse, Esq., 
Wickham, Witham, Essex, was second. Mr. E. 
Ryder had the best dish of yellow Tomatos. He 
also took the first award for twelve dishes of 
Tomatos, which were well selected, smooth, and 
well coloured. The F'rome Flower and Fruit Co. 
