October 2i, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
115 
not been so prevalent as we might have expected 
during so dry a season, and especially when we bear 
in mind how destructive they were in the hop-fields. 
Regarding the former of these pests to Roses, we 
might reasonably have expected the hybrid perpetuals 
to be seriously affected, seeing that hot and dry 
autumns have frequently proved so conducive to its 
spread. But even my plants upon the Manettii have 
been almost entirely free from red-rust. Mildew 
threatened badly twice, in the early part of June 
and again during the latter part of August, but it did 
not spread and maintain such a firm hold as during 
many seasons. Altogether, the season of 1893 has 
not been so bad as many feared when the frosts of 
June and the excessive drought began to mar all 
prospects of a really good Rose year.— Experience. 
-- 
THE LILIES AT 
HEATHERBANK. 
My annual note on our Lilies might have been sent 
sooner, as the unusual heat and drought made them 
bloom early and with most species made the flowers 
short-lived. The first Lily which showed its 
appreciation of the fine weather was L. Humboldti. 
In most seasons when the weather is cold and rough 
this is apt to have spots both on flowers and leaves ; 
this year there was no trace of these, and all the 
varieties were very fine. The effect of the weather 
on L. auratum depended on situation ; where the 
subsoil was damp, both growth and flowers were 
first-rate. In one bed in our wood at Oakwood, 
about sixty yards long, with different widths, there 
were about 2,000 stems of all heights, the tallest 
ranging from 7 ft. to 9 ft. high. A large number of 
these were out at the same time, and the effect was 
finer than we have ever had before. Happily Mrs. 
Dufiield was staying at the cottage and painted a 
large group of these so as to preserve an admirable 
remembrance. 
In drier situations it .was a very different story. 
In our small hill field of Lilies, which in wet seasons 
gives the finest show, both growth and flowers were 
stunted, and what proved that it was the drought 
that caused this was that, having moved some fruit 
trees from this field, we had filled up the vacant 
spaces with L. auratum bulbs taken from the wood 
bed, so that exactly similar bulbs were in one place 
so fine and in the other so poor. In another part in 
the wood where Rhododendrons and Oak trees had 
exhausted the moisture, there was such little growth 
that I took up some bulbs to examine them. They 
were sound and healthy, so I expect that they will 
tell a different tale next year (perhaps I should say 
that we have no artificial watering). L. Krameri 
and L. auratum rubro-vittatum in some places were 
good, but in most were much below par, 
The Lilies which rejoiced most in the hot weather 
and early season were L. speciosum. These, with 
the exception of some which had been moved into 
newly-prepared ground and so more susceptible to 
drought, were, in all sorts of situations, finer than 
we have ever had them before ; no rough cold 
weather injured the late blooms, which is often the 
case in later seasons. L. pardalinum and L. 
superbum, being always planted in more or less 
damp places, were fine as usual, but the flowers were 
short-lived ; most of the other Lilies were the worse 
for the drought.— George F. Wilson, Heatherbanh, 
Weybridge Heath, October 12th. 
--*•- 
TRANSPLANTING TREES 
AND SHRUBS. 
The barbarous treatment which young trees and 
shrubs often receive when lifted from their quarters 
in nurseries is accountable for many failures after 
subsequent planting. The weak point is not so 
much as to how they are lifted out of the ground as 
the treatment they are subjected to before reaching 
their final quarters. I allude particularly to the 
long time their roots are too frequently exposed to 
sun and drying winds. The difference between trees 
which when taken up are left out of the ground for 
hours and too o/ten for days and those which have 
their roots protected either by being laid in the soil 
or having a covering of short damp litter packed 
closely among them is very great. Those who wish 
for the best results attainable will do well to see that 
this point is attended to, even if they pay a little 
more than the customary price for their plants. I 
have frequently had this brought home to me when 
•transplanting large Yews from soils very little of 
which would adhere to them, when by keeping the 
roots moist during the process of transplanting we 
never lost a plant, and I am quite certain that had 
similar plants been brought from a distance and 
subjected to the drying process indicated, one half 
of them would have failed simply because their 
rootlets had been dried up beyond recovery.— W. B. 
Glasscock. 
- •im - 
GRAPES CRACKING. 
I HAVE had sorry experience of Grapes cracking and 
otherwise spoiling through want of fuel. In a late 
house. Lady Downe’s cracked wholesale, also Gros 
Colmar and Alicante in sufficient numbers to dis¬ 
figure the bunches. _ Muscat of Alexandria stood 
well, so did Gros Guillaume. The latter has always 
coloured well, but this season is very red. In an 
earlier house Muscats and Foster's Seedling turned 
brown round the foot-scalk, and on touching the 
bunches, the berries of the former dropped in great 
numbers. Pearson’s Golden Queen, which we keep 
for Christmas and the New Year, was similarly 
affected, but in a lesser degree. In this house we 
have a Madresfield Court which did not crack (as 
it never has here), because having been ripe some 
time, it was inclined to shrivel, a few of the berries 
turned mouldy, and those of Black Hamburgh be¬ 
came at the end of a fortnight a mass of mould. In 
a still earlier house, in which we stored some 
Chrysanthemums, two bunches of Hamburgh were 
left hanging, the others had been cut some time 
previous and put in the fruit-room, but all went 
mouldy and about the same time. 
We have had a good deal of rain here lately. We 
do not keep a weather record, but we can mentally 
refer back to three weeks of rain daily during some 
part of the twenty-four hours, and before then the 
soil had been thoroughly soaked to a depth of 2 ft. 
This is in marked contrast with your last week’s 
leader, wherin you express gratitude for lately fallen 
showers. The surface of our borders were kept per¬ 
fectly dry, having been covered some time previous 
with litter, but the external atmosphere was moist. 
Still we were cautious not to ventilate unless the sun 
broke out. 
I do not know if Grape growers are unanimous 
in their opinions as to the cracking of Madresfield 
Court, but it seems to me that many others will 
crack when subject to a superabundance of moisture 
in the air. I remember a long discussion some years 
ago in one of the gardening journals respecting the 
cracking of Grapes in a show tent at Manchester, I 
believe ; and as far as I can recollect there were di¬ 
verse opinions as to the cause.— -W.P.R. 
-- 
NOTES FROM CORNWALL. 
The beautiful open weather in the westernmost 
counties has enabled the gardeners to make good 
headway with the autumn work. On the other 
hand the green crops are in prime condition. Most 
of the technical schools are in full operation for the 
winter months, and ere long we may look forward to 
gardening in the west on more scientific principles 
than hitherto. There is no doubt a great interest 
being taken by a large number of students—an 
increasing number at each session, as reports dis¬ 
tinctly show. 
The question of pushing forward the growth of 
fruit as an appendix to market gardening is coming 
more and more to the front. At Crediton the other 
day, in the course of a lecture by Mr. C. Bull, the 
cultivation of the best varieties of Apples only in 
the west was advocated, and some sixty varieties of 
these were exhibited and specially recommended, so 
that there is no limit as to choice. One instance of 
successful Apple growing came from Ashford. As an 
example of what may be done, it was said that 
this particular grower had realised no less than £600 
from a twenty acre orchard. One of the chief 
features towards successful Apple growing, indeed 
an essential element, was that of perfect drainage. 
This is a point which should not be overlooked. If 
the conditions of the climate and soil at Ashford for 
Apple growing are so favourable, surely Cornwall, 
where the warm seasons are longer, and sheltered 
for the most part, should be doubly so under 
ordinary circumstances. 
It is to be noted that once again the Narcissi from 
Scilly Islands are likely to be very early, as every¬ 
thing has up to the present favoured the stimulation 
of the plants. Speaking of Scilly, it may be stated 
that year by year additional acres are being employed 
in the growth of this choice and favourite flower, as 
well as glasshouses. If, however, the burthen of 
quantity exceeds that of last year the amount of 
cash running into the Islands must be prodigious, 
and surely the growers can or will afford to allow 
the public to enjoy with them the fruits of their 
labour by lowering the prices. There is one thing 
certain, Scilly has the monpoly of the market at 
present.— X. 
-- 
Pea; Conundrum. 
Although the summer has been a long and hot one. 
Peas on our cold soil have done fairly well, and late 
sorts through such a season have thrown many 
gardeners out of their reckoning. As a late variety 
and for withstanding mildew, which most autumn 
cropping sorts are liable to, I hold Conundrum to be 
a decidedly meritorious introduction, and better in 
foliage, freshness, and flavour than those two good 
late Peas, Autocrat and Walker’s Perpetual Bearer. 
We sowed Day’s Conundrum on April 24th and that 
trusty old sort Ne Plus Ultra on May 15th, and 
gathered the last dish of the latter on September 
30th and of the former on the 7th of October, an 
advantage in favour of Conundrum of twenty-nine 
days.— B. L. 
Beet Northumberland Red. 
It is claimed for this variety that it will succeed 
where other sorts fail, and for that reason I gave it 
a trial. I never had such roots before, either for 
size, colour, or quality, but the season may have had 
something to do with it. I shall, however, grow it 
again, and if it does as well in an ordinary season, I 
shall be more than satisfied.— B. L. 
Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower. 
Giants have not usually much to recommend them, 
but I have long been a great admirer of this grand 
kitchen garden flower. Yet another sort has turned 
up under the name of Monarch, which I suppose 
means great too, but when recently comparing some 
splendid heads of both I could hardly make up my 
mind which was Lord. I think either sort might be 
grown for the other, the apparent difference being 
only in the name.— B. L. 
Cabbage Filderkraut. 
In form this Cabbage, closely resembles Winnig- 
stadt in being conical, greatly elongated and pointed 
at the apex. The latter is, however, a very vigorous 
growing kind, and when planted in rich soil grows 
almost too strong to be suitable for table work. 
Judging from a plantation of Filderkraut in the 
gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society at 
Chiswick, the heads are considerably smaller than 
those of the older and better variety just mentioned. 
When fully developed the heads are hard and very 
firm, and to all appearance will keep well. The 
stems are moderately tall, but the leaves are few, 
and therefore by no means bulky. They are of a 
light glaucous green, and the well-formed heads are 
neat and handsome. For these reasons the variety 
if constant to character in respect to size, should 
prove useful for small gardens and even for 
exhibition purposes.— F. 
Dwarf Early Savoy. 
The plants of this variety are very dwarf and hug 
the ground when kept true to name. There are two 
plantations in the gardens of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society, and in one case there are a few rogues 
in one of the plantations, but it is evidently a case 
of accidentally mixing the plants or the seed of 
something else amongst them, rather than degene¬ 
racy in the strain of seed itself. The plants are all 
as evenly dwarf in the other plantation as to testify 
to the above fact. The plantations are of different 
ages, and while in one case the heads are in fine 
condition for use, in the other they are scarcely so 
and will prolong the season considerably.— F. 
Couve Tronchuda. 
The mid-ribs and leaf stalks of the Portugal or Sea 
Kale Cabbage when cooked in a young state and 
dished up as Sea Kale make a very acceptable 
change, but it is somewhat rare to find this vege¬ 
table grown really well. To get it first-rate it 
requires to be sown early and planted in deep, rich 
soil, and to be well watered during dry weather. 
After the heads are cut the old stems will give a few 
cuttings of the most delicious sprouts; in fact, there 
is nothing else among Cabbages or any other winter 
greens to equal them. 
