Sept. 27th, 1884. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
55 
cold-house, but the frost fastened upon the roots, and 
the plants were completely destroyed. If the soil be 
kept dry about the roots, they will stand a good 
amount of frost; but when we get a spell of almost 
unprecedented frost like that of January, 1881, and 
the pots are not protected, it is almost certain death. 
The plants would stand a better chance in the open 
ground, if covered over with some loose litter, and the 
plants do not require frequent re-potting. 
They make very thick fleshy roots, and when these 
fill the pots they must' have abundant moisture; 
and in order to supply this, I this season adopted 
the practice of standing the pots in earthenware 
saucers of water. All the plants were in 14-in. pots, 
i.e. 14 in. in diameter, and the moisture at the 
bottom caused the roots to expand so freely, that two 
of the strong pots are already in two parts. This is 
vexing, and it suggests that it would be a good plan to 
have the pots bound round with bands of zinc or iron. 
But do not let anyone be deterred from growing the 
Agapanthus because such an accident may happen. 
Human ingenuity can always devise measures to meet 
a case of this kind. Grow the Agapanthus in pots, 
and you will come to love it for its superb beauty and 
usefulness. Then there is a white variety, not nearly 
so strong-growing as the blue form, but a good com¬ 
panion. It will take a long time to grow a plant to a 
large size, but time is always on the side of the 
cultivator. Agapanthus umbellatus is one of the 
many good things that have come to us from the 
Cape of Good Hope. Let me further state that a 
single plant will in the course of time divide into 
three or four or even more.— -B. D. 
THE DICTIONARY OF 
GARDENING* 
We have received Parts I. to VII. of this work, from 
Abelia to Bixa inclusive, and judging by the numbers 
before us, we do not hesitate to say that it will prove 
an invaluable addition to the Gardeners’ Library. 
The arrangement is, as the name implies, alphabetical, 
and under the head of the genus we find the derivation 
of the name and the Natural Order given. This is 
followed by a few general remarks as to the habit and 
appearance, with a brief description, as a guide to 
identification, and lastly, the treatment required and 
mode of propagation. We have looked through these 
cultural notes in several of the genera, and find them 
carefully written, and such as if followed will in most 
cases lead to success. 
Coming to the species we find that a judicious 
selection of those most -worthy of cultivation has been 
made. The derivation of the specific name is given, 
also the colour and time of flowering, the height, and 
generally the native country and date of introduction. 
In the case of species with ornamental varieties, these 
are enumerated after the species. Synonymous 
names, too, are pointed out, and these two points we 
are especially pleased to see, as it gives a more correct 
idea of what are natural species and what mere 
varieties; it also shows which species have yielded 
the most valuable varieties in the hands of the 
hybridist. There are numerous cross-references ; for 
instance, Aaron’s Bod, see Verbascum Thapsus, and 
these are often very valuable where plants have more 
than one name. By the way, Abaraxis, the Goose¬ 
berry Moth, should be Abraxis. 
The descriptions of Insect Pests and the best modes 
of combating them are generally good, though w'e 
take exception to the statement (under Aphides) that 
“nearly every plant has its own peculiar Aphis.” 
This axiom has long been exploded; Aphis rumicis 
has been shown to have about thirty synonyms, 
originating in this same idea, and the destructive 
Bhopalosiphon dianthi is known to feed on at least 
sixty plants, while the Oak and Willow each support 
several distinct species of Aphis. The paper and type 
are both good, and the work is profusely illustrated 
with excellent woodcuts. The first number also con¬ 
tains a beautiful chromo-lithograph of Anemone 
palmata var. alba as a frontispiece. 
The Illubtrated Dictionary of Gardening. A 
practical Encyclopaedia of Horticulture, illustrated 
with upwards of 1,500 engravings.—London: L. 
Upcott Gill, 170, Strand. 
JUDGING AT FLOWER SHOWS. 
I think Mr. G. T. Miles has done good service in 
calling attention to this matter. The vagaries of 
some judges are truly astonishing, and they show 
themselves as much, perhaps more, among vegetables 
than anything else. With not a few of the judges at 
country exhibitions, a little knowledge appears to be 
a dangerous thing. A few years ago I was at a show 
where vegetables were largely and finely shown by 
cottagers, and there were separate classes for Bound 
and Kidney Potatos. In the latter class some fine 
examples of Snowflake and Extra Early Vermont were 
quite passed over, and on my expressing surprise 
that this was so, I was informed that they were not 
regarded by the judges as kidney varieties, but as 
“ intermediate,” whatever this might mean. This was 
setting up a very arbitrary, exasperating, and unjust 
distinction, and you may rely upon it there was a 
pretty hornet’s nest raised about the ears of the 
censors. If judges are in doubt as to whether a 
Potato is a round or a kidney, the catalogue of a good 
seed-house can always settle that matter. 
I am frequently chagrined to find judges at country 
shows taking as their standard in judging Potatos a 
white skin and a white flesh, passing over everything 
else. I was at a show last month where there was a 
very varied and interesting collection of Potatos. In 
the round classes I saw beautiful samples of Beading 
Busset, Vicar of Laleham, Grampian, and Adirondack, 
among others, passed over for inferior samples of 
Schoolmaster and deep-eyed Begents. It was the 
same with kidneys. Excellent samples of Edgecote 
Purple, Mr. Breesee, Prizetaker, American Purple, 
and others were passed over for white kidneys of 
inferior quality, simply because the former had 
coloured skins. This showed a great ignorance of 
the true value of Potatos, and it is grossly unfair to 
raisers of good coloured varieties. 
The act of cutting Potatos in two is foolish. It 
seems to be done for two j>urposes—to see if the flesh 
is white, and to see if there is any flaw in the middle. 
If it is necessary to cut any in halves, then every tuber 
should be cut, which means wholesale spoliation. I 
content myself with these illustrations at present. I 
hope others will give their opinions on the subject, 
and let it be well ventilated. Some of our erring 
brethren need to be preached at pretty strongly.— 
B. D. 
—■ —p —- 
ON GATHERING FRUIT. 
Simple as this may appear, there are few operations 
in gardening that require more knowledge and care, 
for not only is it necessary to be acquainted with the 
different kinds of fruit, and their period of ripening, 
but it is requisite for anyone to handle them even more 
tenderly than they would eggs in collecting. Take 
Peaches, for instance, and how often do we see people 
try them, to test if they are ready for plucking, by 
giving them a nip or squeeze between the finger and 
thumb, and as surely as that is done, so surely will 
bruises be seen, and even before these are visible, 
slight decomposition sets in, and the appearance and 
quality of the fruit is damaged or spoilt. A Peach, if 
ripe, will leave the tree readily, and the way to ascer¬ 
tain this, if there is any doubt, is to place the whole 
hand over it and bring all the fingers and thumb gently 
to bear, but not in such a manner as to exercise any 
pressure, and the fruit, if ready, will leave at once. 
It is the same with Plums, which become detached 
from the stalk directly they are finished, but some 
sorts, such as Jefferson and Coe’s Golden Drop, will 
hang longer than others and improve, if the weather 
is fine. 
Late Pears, like Josephine de Malines, Bergamot 
Esperen, Easter Beurrd, and any of that class, 
cannot well be left too long on the tree, provided they 
escape frosts, as they all take a long season to get 
them mature, and if picked before, they shrivel, and 
never turn in so good as they ought, and it is the 
same with all of the others. The kinds that well want 
watching now are Beurre Superfin, Beurrd de Amanlis, 
Louise Bonne of Jersey, Seckle, and Marie Louise, the 
two first-named being now in in early districts, and 
the three last will follow quickly after. A good test 
for these, or indeed any other Pears, to show when 
they are ready for gathering, is to gently move one or 
two up, when, if ripe they will part readily at the 
joint in the stalk, and another pretty sure sign is when 
they begin to drop off, and they are rarely fit till they 
do. The same remarks apply to Apples, and it will 
be found that many of these, such as Warner’s King, 
Cox’s Pomona, and most kinds that come into use 
before Christmas, are now sufficiently advanced to go 
into the fruit-room. In gathering these soft Apples, 
great care is needed not to bruise, which, owing to 
their size and great weight, as well as want of firmness, 
is easily done ; and therefore to avoid pressure one on 
the other, only a few should be put in a basket, the 
sides and bottom of which ought to be lined with a 
cloth, or some fine hay. Pears of all sorts require the 
same gentle handling, and these, as well as Apples, 
when carried to the place of storage, should be laid out 
singly on shelves, the bare boards being better than 
straw, which, unless very clean and fresh, imparts a 
bad taste. 
The kind of room most suitable for keeping fruit in 
is one that is dark, any and dry, and so situated that 
the temperature is always low, and not variable, as a 
rise of a few degrees does much to forward its ripening. 
To have the season of different varieties of Apples 
and Pears as long as possible, it is a good plan to 
make two, or more, gatherings, taking off the tree the 
most forward first, and storing the later after in a dry 
airy cellar. By managing thus, I have had Doyenne 
du Comice, Marie Louise, Glou Morceau, and such 
sterling sorts long after I otherwise should have done. 
— Alpha. 
- CLj— G—- 
CHOICE FERNS. 
Gymnogramma Alstoni. —This is one of the best of 
the Gold Ferns. In habit it somewhat resembles G. 
ochracea, of which it is probably a variety. It differs, 
however, from that species in having the pinnules 
curved inwards, so that the under or golden surface is 
seen to advantage. Like G. ochracea also it is of 
dwarf compact habit, and makes a well-furnished 
plant for decoration. It was awarded a first-class 
certificate by the Floral Committee of the Boyal 
Horticultural Society, in July, 1876, and we may add 
that it comes true from spores, though they do not 
germinate quite so readily as some of the Gymno- 
grammas. 
Pteris cretica albo-lineata cristata. —This is a 
very pretty variety of the older form, P. cretica albo- 
lineata. It is dwarf and compact in habit, and the 
fronds are beautifully crested. It is a very useful 
variety for growing in the small fancy pots that are 
now so much in use, and it also makes a very graceful 
plant in a larger state. It may be raised from spores, 
which germinate very readily, and almost invariably 
come true. 
Quality of Animal Manure.— A knowledge of 
chemistry and physiology is not needed to enable us 
to comprehend that the quality and quantity of dung 
voided by any description of fattening stock or milk- 
cows is the balance between the food consumed and 
that portion of it which is retained in their bodies as 
flesh, fat, &e., or withdrawn in the form of milk, 
perspiration, respiration, &c. The dung is therefore 
inferior to the food, from a fertilizing point of view, 
just in proportion to the substances extracted from 
the food by the animal economy; but it is improved 
in form as food for plants by having been consumed 
by animals—they prepare it for the plants, w hich in 
turn again premre it for the animals. A four-year- 
old beast extracts from the food given him only those 
substances which go to increase the soft portions of 
his body, and to maintain the various processes of 
which his life is made up ; but a young beast not only 
does both these, but also extracts what is required 
for developing the bone ; hence the dung of a mature 
animal is more valuable than that of a young one, 
just in proportion to the amount of matter which the 
young one keeps to build up the bony and circular 
structure of his frame. It follows, consequently, 
that the quantity of manure produced on a farm 
will depend on the quantity of food grown and con¬ 
sumed on it, and on the quantity of feeding-stuffs 
purchased to supplement and improve the food 
produced on the farm itself; and that the quality of 
the manure will in like manner depend on the kind 
of stock kept, and on the kind of food purchased 
in addition to that produced .—Illustrated Dairy 
Farming. 
