August 4, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
775 
Fuchsia Ballet Girl. —For description of this 
beautiful Fuchsia see p. 759. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Gladiolus Lemoinei J. H. Krelage. —The 
flowers of this type are large, with widely-expanded 
segments, the outer of which are crimson scarlet, 
with a white midrib. The upper one of the inner 
series is rose, and the two lateral are crimson at the 
base, surrounded with white and scarlet at the tip. 
Award of Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. Wallace c& 
Co., Colchester. 
Rose Madame Pierre Cochet. —The flowers of 
this Tea Rose are small, conical, beautiful in shape 
and charming in colour, which is orange-apricot, with 
the outer petals tinted with red. They are highly 
fragrant, and the foliage is dark green. Award of 
Merit. Exhibited by Messrs. Paul & Son. 
Viola Iona.- —In this we have rather a distinct 
break amongst the parti-coloured bedding Violas. 
The upper petals are pale-blue or lavender ; but the 
three lower ones are dark violet, almost black, with 
a large wedge, or V-shaped lavender blotch, extend¬ 
ing from the outer edge inwards. Award of Merit. 
Exhibited by Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, N.B. 
Hardy Plants, etc. 
Calochortus Plummerae.- —The flowers of this 
Mariposa Lily are of large size and of a soft purple 
or blue-purple and heavily bearded with long 
yellow hairs on the lower half of the inner segments. 
First-class Certificate. Exhibited by Messrs. 
Wallace & Co., Colchester. 
Hybrid Sweet Brier Diana Vernon. —The 
Flowers of this variety are semi-double, and deep 
rose, consisting of numerous narrower petals than 
in the wild type. The cluster of filaments in the 
centre are crimson and the anthers yellow. Like 
the wild Sweet Brier, all parts of the plant are 
are strongly fragrant. Award of Merit. Exhibited 
by Lord Penzance, Godaiming. 
Retinospora squarrosa sulphurea. —The young 
shoots and leaves of this variety are pale sulphur- 
yellow, toning down the ordinary glaucous hue con¬ 
siderably. It will be valuable in a collection for the 
sake of contrast. Award of Merit. Exhibited by 
Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Tigridia grandifloria liliacea. —In this variety 
we have a departure from the ordinary type. The 
upper half of the outer segments, is of a uniform, 
deep rosy purple, while the lower half is white, 
spotted with crimson. The inner segments are 
smaller, and white blotched with purple upwards, 
and with black below that. First-class Certificate. 
Exhibited by Messrs. Wallace & Co. 
Pea Veitch’s Maincrop. 
The pods of this variety are 3 in. to 5 in. long, 
slightly curved, well filled, and of a dark glaucous 
green. The peas themselves are large, sweet, and 
of excellent quality. First-class Certificate. Exhibited 
by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, and by the Duke of 
Northumberland (gardener Mr. G. Wythes), Syon 
House, Brentford. 
Strawberry Laxton’s Latest of All. 
The fruit of this variety are of large size, and conical 
or three-angled, or sometimes slightly compressed. 
They are pale-red, and set all over with prominent 
yellow achenes, popularly termed seeds. The flesh 
is neither very highly-coloured nor flavoured, but 
different soils and seasons may alter this consider¬ 
ably and possibly favourably. The late period at 
which it ripens is one of its chief recommendations. 
First-class Certificate. Exhibited by the Duke of 
Northumberland. 
- ^ - 
OWN ROOT ROSES. 
Like all things that have such ardent advocates for 
and against, there is a little reason upon both sides. 
In plant culture we find few better examples of this 
than in the subject of Roses upon their own roots 
or those of some foster stock. Although we are not 
acquainted with any grower of own root Roses who 
is successful upon the exhibition board, there are 
some few who certainly get excellent results from 
Roses cultivated in this form. It is a question of 
soil and variety. Shall we also say of stock and 
common sense ? 
To attempt cultivating Margaret Boudet, 
Cleopatra, Xavier Olibo, or Comtesse de Nadaillac 
upon their own roots, is utter folly. These grand 
Roses—winners of silver medals as the best in the 
most extensive Rose shows of this year—are much 
too weakly in growth to do themselves justice with¬ 
out the aid of foster roots possessing more vigour. 
But it was not so much because of the merits or 
demerits of the two systems that we pen this note, 
as to call attention to the present as being a most 
suitable time for the rooting of Rose cuttings. 
Choose the partly-ripened growth of any free or 
vigorous grower, cut it into lengths of about 4 in¬ 
to 6 in., and insert firmly in sandy soil. Water 
well, stand in a partially shaded spot, and keep close 
for a time, say three weeks. You may propagate 
from plants which have grown indoors or out, pro¬ 
viding the wood is in that condition described as 
three parts ripe. Some root them in the open 
borders, but this is much less certain and needs 
rather more wood. The sole reason why amateurs 
prefer own root Roses to those worked upon a stock 
is in the doubt existing in their minds regarding 
suckers. We have known the stout and healthy 
suckers of Rose growth to be removed time after 
time and the plant condemned as a poor grower. A 
few days back, while waiting for a train, a porter 
was busily engaged in staking and securing some of 
the best plants of Manetti we have ever seen. 
" Can’t think what’s the matter with this Rose, sir,” 
said he, “ ’tain’t what it used to be.” No wonder ; 
not a scrap of the Rose existed. Now here was a 
case of ignorance, for a second plant which was 
shown us as being a cutting from the first was the 
variety Dupuy Jamain, a good grower upon its own 
roots and also upon all of the stocks used for Roses. 
Our friend had simply failed to recognise between 
the suckers of the Rose and stock or the plant 
had been badly worked, which, it was then 
impossible to decide. In a light soil own root 
Roses of free growers will prosper, but not in a close 
or heavy compost. Providing we use a suitable 
stock for the soil and variety, there is no doubt the 
aid of foster roots are highly beneficial. However, 
now is the time to strike Roses if you wish to culti¬ 
vate in that form.— A. P. 
ON GATHERING AND 
STORING PEARS. 
To state the exact time at which any particular 
variety of Pear should be gathered would be a 
matter of some difficulty, because soils, aspect, and 
seasons all influence, to a great extent, the time at 
which they arrive at that condition of maturity 
which they ought to be in when gathered, and 
which will often be found to vary considerably in 
the same neighbourhood. At the same time an 
observant eye will, with experience, enable the grower 
to be near enough to ensure success. A good rule 
is to watch for the first fruits to change colour, and 
fall off, and then to examine those which are still 
green and which will generally be found to part 
readily from the tree by lifting the fruit. Another 
good plan is to cut a fruit through and if the pips 
are changing colour the fruit is nearing that condi¬ 
tion in which it may be gathered. 
There is no more certain method of determining 
the time than the free parting of the fruit from the 
spur. If it adheres so that the stem breaks in the 
attempt to gather it, the fruit is not sufficiently 
advanced for picking. In the gathering of Pears 
great care is needful, as they will not bear the rough 
handling which Apples will stand without going rapidly 
to decay. However much harder the texture of a Pear 
may be than many Apples, if bruised in the least 
they decay more rapidly, so that on this account it 
is most necessary to pick and lay carefully into 
baskets. In reference to storing them away, we may 
remark that the too common practice of placing 
them in layers on shelves in an airy fruit room is 
certainly not the best method of keeping them, 
because in such positions many of the fruit either 
shrivel or decay, and this oftentimes causes the loss 
of some that prove, under better conditions, the best 
late-keeping sorts we have. 
If required to be kept in good condition as long 
as possible, a cool room or even a cellar is better 
than the general run of so-called fruit rooms for the 
purpose, because the good qualities of the fruit are 
better developed when the ripening process is carried 
on slowly till near the time the fruit is required for 
use, or it gives timely intimation that further delay 
is dangerous, when if taken into a warmer room to 
finish off, they will be much improved. Some few 
kinds are all the better for having the final ripening 
conducted more slowly than others. If too hastily 
done they prove comparatively worthless for dessert. 
No fruit after being gathered requires more care 
than the Pear, as however well they may be grown 
not more than half the battle in connection with 
them is over at the time they are plucked from the 
tree, unless well managed when stored away. 
Instead of open shelves place them in light boxes, 
small barrels or baskets, leaving the lids off for a 
week or so for the early and mid-season kinds, and 
for the late ones two or three weeks afterwards, 
keeping them close. With some of the better fruit 
it is a good plan to wrap them in tissue paper, and 
by an occasional examination the progress they are 
making is easily seen, and their ripening can be 
readily hastened, if desired, by placing them in a 
warmer atmosphere for a time, still keeping them 
close. The early kinds, such as Williams’ Bon 
Chretien, which are often left to ripen on the trees, 
will be found to finish off better and be more luscious 
if gathered before they are ripe and finished off after 
the manner we advocate for the late varieties. When 
left on the trees till they fall from over-ripeness 
they are too often rotten at the core, and some when 
so ripened are coarse and gritty, which, if handled 
in the way here indicated, would be mellow and 
buttery.— W. B. G. 
4 - 
fii VESEMili 
August Onions. 
This is the term which is often made use of when 
reference is made to those sown in the Autumn. 
In some districts this is the principal or only crop 
of Onions that can be grown, on account of the 
maggot taking them when young, and it often 
happens that on dry, gravelly soil there is much 
difficulty in getting the spring sown ones established, 
therefore recourse is had to Autum sowing. There 
are now many kinds in addition to the Tripoli 
varieties that will stand the severity of our winters, 
some of which will keep sound till as late in the season 
as December. Those of theWhite Spanish type, 
Ailsa Craig, Sutton’s Exhibition and Sutton’s A i 
are all good kinds for Autumn sowing, therefore a 
patch of each in addition to the Tripoli kinds should 
be sown. If the ground has been well prepared, 
sowing the seed is not a great task, but where, 
owing to want of space, the ground has to be cleared 
before the seed can be got in, there is often a delay 
of a few days, which at this time of the year is very 
important. 
We prefer sowing some time during the first week 
in August, not on a dry border where the soil is 
exhausted of all moisture by the fruit trees, but on 
a piece of ground that has been prepared for the 
purpose such as that from which the early Carrots 
were drawn. The seed should be sown thinly to 
ensure strong plants, and when these are large 
enough to handle we prefer transplanting them in 
their permanent quarters instead of waiting till 
spring before doing so. If planted the last week in 
September the roots have time to take a firm hold 
of the soil before frost sets in, and if the autumn be 
mild the plants will be thoroughly established 
before winter. When planting is deferred till 
March, the drying winds of that month often so 
cripple the plants that they are a long time in 
recovering themselves, and should dry weather 
follow they do not make much progress, being very 
little in advance of those sown in spring. 
When lifting the plants for transplanting, care 
should be taken not to break off the roots, for though 
these mostly die when new ones are formed, they 
keep the plants growing till the young ones are 
formed. Neither ought the roots to be doubled up 
if put in with a dibber. We prefer taking out a 
trench 3 in. or 4 in. deep, then with one hand hold 
the plant in position, while with the other the soil 
is put to the roots to prevent it falling. The distance 
both between the plants and rows must greatly 
depend on the kind of bulbs required, we prefer 
planting 3 in. apart, then thinning them out in 
spring to double that distance, and if any show signs 
of growing extra large take out another plant on 
each side, in this way good bulbs may be obtained 
that mature early. 
It is hardly necessary to say that if very large 
bulbs are required, artificial feeding will have to be 
