Sept. 27th, 1884. 
THE GARDENING- WORLD. 
59 
species has been naturalized in the Nottingham 
meadows since at least 1738, and may be seen in 
profusion in a few localities during the next few weeks. 
-*4*- 
Pomegranates, Double and Single. —An 
interesting collection of these, both new and old 
varieties, is to be seen at Mr. B. S. Williams’ Victoria 
and Paradise Nurseries, Upper Holloway. They arc 
chiefly standards grown in pots and vary in the size 
of the heads from one to nearly three feet across. 
Among the new varieties, the kinds named Ludovico 
Taverna, and the new double white, are the most 
striking. The former has full double scarlet flowers 
and the latter is very full-petalled and of a soft 
creamy white. Both of them are much like Carna¬ 
tions. The common single variety looks very quaint 
with its profusion of flowers and fruits. 
<“ - —>£<-- 
Marguerites. —Many people seem to be prejudiced 
against the varieties of Chrysanthemum frutescens on 
account of their close resemblance to the common 
Ox-eye Daisy (Ch. leucanthemum) of our fields. Yet 
since the spring of 1880, when Mr. Howard was 
awarded a first-class certificate for his yellow variety 
(Ch. frutescens Etoile d’Or) they have steadily grown 
in public favour, and at the present time few flowers 
are more popular. We think also they fully deserve 
the position they have gained, for few flowers are more 
useful. Where plants have not been grown on jin pots 
for winter flowering those that have been planted out 
in beds may be taken up and potted, and if this is done 
with care the plants will continue flowering for a 
considerable time. After they have done flowering, 
the plants may be cut back, when they will break out 
into fresh growth, and produce a good supply of 
cuttings for spring propagating. To get good plants 
for early spring flowering the present is a good time 
to propagate. Cuttings will strike best in a cold 
frame where they can be kept close until they are 
rooted, and after they are established they may be 
kept in any cool-house until they are fit for potting. 
Like all other Chrysanthemums they require liberal 
treatment especially at flowering time. There are 
several different forms of the white variety, the 
best of which we consider is Ch. frutescens maximum, 
sometimes called Ch. Halleri maximum. Of the yellows 
Ch. frutescens Etoile d’Or must take the first place, 
though we have seen another under the name of Ch. 
frutescens bipinnatifidum, which closely resembles it. 
-Hh- 
Pepinia aphelandrse flora. —Any plant that will 
help to make a brilliant effect either in the stove or 
greenhouse ai this season is of the utmost value, and 
such is this Pepinia. It is a Bromeliad, and being a 
native of Peru, requires the temperature of a stove. 
The plant is of easy cultivation, and flowers in quite 
a small state. It is a dense-growing plant, with the 
leaves closely set, gracefully arching, and light green 
in colour. The flowers are produced in long racemes 
of from fifteen to twenty flowers in each, Aphelandra- 
like in shape, and crimson-scarlet in colour. It can 
now be seen at the Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, 
Upper Holloway, where it has been in flower for 
several weeks, and is likely to last for some time yet. 
Although it has been introduced into this country 
several years, it is scarcely ever met with. 
Pose, W. A. Richardson. —Mr. Bennett, of 
Shepperton, points out an error in our first number 
with reference to the origin of this Rose. It appears 
that it was not raised in America, but by Madame 
Ducher, of Lyons, who named it after Mr. W. A. 
Richardson, a nurseryman, at Louisville, Kentucky, 
and sent it out in 1878. We thank our correspondent 
for his correction. 
-kh- 
Verbascum phoeniceum. —This old-fashioned 
plant is not often met with in gardens, though it is 
a good thing, and differs from the majority of the 
Mulleins in having purple flowers. We recently saw 
some plants of it flowering well. It is 2 ft. high, with 
a branching raceme and dark green leaves. It is a 
South European plant and was introduced to gardens 
as long ago as 1796. 
Vegetables at the Health Exhibition.— 
Although but one class for eight kinds was in the 
schedule of prizes offered for competition on Tuesday, 
not less than eleven lots were staged, and all first-class, 
although it must be said of the best that they were 
almost superlatively good. With respect to the 
distribution of the three prizes awarded, it is enough to 
say that one of the champion vegetable exhibitors of 
the day, Mr. G. T. Miles, gardener to Lord Carrington, 
Wycombe Abbey, was first ; Mr. Haines, gardener 
to Lord Radnor, Coleshill, Berks, was second ; and 
Mr. A. Miller, gardener to W. H. Long, Esq., M.P., 
Rood Ashton Hall, Trowbridge, was third. We found 
Tomatos a strong feature in every collection, showing 
how important these vegetable fruits are regarded, 
both by exhibitors and judges. The bit of rich colour 
found in the fruits also tells well amidst so much that 
is dull or pale of hue. Stamfordian, a fine form of 
Hathaway’s Excelsior, was strong in two cases, and 
Mr. Gilbert, of Burghley, had in his collection as fine 
a lot of selected Excelsior as any new kind can furnish. 
Dedham Favourite, a handsome kind, but of the red 
rather than scarlet hue, was found in Mr. Ward’s lot, 
and Hackwood Park, a good clear scarlet form, was 
excellent in another. Of Onions, Mr. Miles had in his 
first prize group a grand sample of a fine flat form very 
large and solid, and brown in skin, in Caves Pinesfield, 
a variety sent out a few years since by Messrs. James 
Carter & Co., but which does not seem to be so well known 
as it merits. It is a good keeper and very distinct. 
Mr. Haines had some huge and handsome Rousham 
Park bulbs of a white Spanish type, coming near to 
the Banbury Giant, Walker's Exhibition, and other 
popular sorts. It is very fine, but lacks distinctness. 
Good White Spanish or Reading were found in some 
other collections. Very fine Celery was seen in most 
lots, the chief sorts being Major Clarke’s Solid Red and 
the Leicester Red, without doubt the best and most solid 
red Celeries in cultivation. Some of the sticks were 
for the season wonderfully good. One exhibitor had 
the London Market Red, somewhat looser in character, 
and two others'had the Dwarf Incomparable White. 
Mr. Gilbert, we think, injured his case by stripping 
his sticks of all the outside stalks. There were very 
fine and clean Magnum Bonum and Snowdrop Potatos, 
and in one collection was a very pretty dish of that 
dubious table kind, Breadfruit or Breesee’s Prolific. A 
good dish of Edgcote seedling, a Lapstone-like tuber, 
was in the first prize collection. Very fine samples 
of Runner Beans were found in Champion Scarlet 
and Sandy Prize. Some, perhaps, were rather too 
large to be of that tender quality we like to find in 
this excellent vegetable. Of Dwarf Beans, Canadian 
Wonder was very handsome, though the season for 
these is somewhat past. 
Snowball was the chief Turnip, white, round, clean, 
and handsome. Intermediate Carrots in one case were 
exceptionally long and handsome, whilst in another 
James’ Scarlet were, if paler in hue, still exceptionally 
good. A dish of the Early Nantes gave for that short, 
blunt kind a capital sample. There was but one lot of 
Parsnips, of the Student variety, but, though clean and 
handsome, yet too big for such competitions. Two 
months hence and good Parsnips will be better appre¬ 
ciated than now. Peas were seen in three cases, 
though one lot was very weak. The best dish was 
G. F. Wilson, green, fresh, and full, and the other, 
and a very good sample for the time of year, was 
Daniel’s Sweet Marrow, an odd name, as most 
Marrows are sugary. Some very good Brussels Sprouts 
were shown, notably a sample of Veitch’s Exhibi¬ 
tion Variety, though the season is yet early for 
them, and one exhibitor staged Globe Artichokes, 
as to the value of which as a vegetable we have 
never heard a better definition than that they were 
useful as spoons to eat melted butter with. 
Messrs. Carter & Co. added an interesting and 
useful feature to this department in the form of an 
excellent group of Cabbages and Kales, some forty 
sorts in all, and as the seeds were all sown on March 
13th, the produce gave an excellent opportunity for 
making comparisons as to the relative merits of the 
different varieties. A variety that pleased us much 
was Carter’s Miniature Drumhead, which grows only 
to the size of a good Cabbage Lettuoe, but as solid as 
a Cricket Ball, and consequently has little waste. It 
is a capital Cabbage for small gardens, as it can be 
planted as close as Collards, a point of considerable 
importance where space is limited. To match the 
Scotch Kale, the same firm have named a nice-looking 
new variety—the Welsh Kale, which we may hope will 
prove as good as the old one. 
• -- 
Potatos. —How on earth statistics, as they are 
called, with respect to the acreage under cultivation 
with Potatos, and the probable crop are obtained I 
cannot understand, and I believe that, as a rule, they 
are jumped at. As a grower of the tuber I have never 
been invited to furnish any information, and it is 
impossible to take note of the vast quantity grown in 
private gardens. I do not think that the returns, as 
presented, are of any reliable value. I observe a 
statement to the effect that Potatos are not cheap 
now, in fact, are cheapest in disease years, when all 
want to sell. That is absurd, as is evidenced by 
the fact that, at the present moment, Potatos in the 
London markets can be purchased at from 60*. to 
80s. per ton, and good, sound, keeping samples. If 
consumers do not get the full benefit of these prices, 
the fault rather lies with our methods of sale and dis¬ 
tribution than with the crop or the growers of it.—D. M. 
--HfH- 
Early Scarlet Nantes Carrot. — This is an 
excellent variety for amateur gardeners with small 
gardens. It is of the Early Horn section, but longer, 
and retaining its Horn character. It is an early and 
quick growing carrot, coming in some days before the 
Intermediate variety. These two sorts will be found 
very useful in small gardens, but both do much better 
on a light free than in a heavy soil. The Early 
Nantes Carrot is a variety that comes in very useful 
for exhibition at early shows before the Intermediate 
has got into size.— R. D. 
-4-h-- 
Celery. —The conservative attachment to colour 
in certain vegetables is evidenced by the fact that 
white Celeries are not in demand in the London 
market except for cooking purposes. One favourite 
kind (and no doubt it has a score of aliases), is the 
London Market Red, a variety that has been grown 
in vast quantities for years, and will probably be 
grown to the end of time. For is it not the fact that 
not only are consumers conservative as to colour, 
at least the dealers and greengrocers tell us so, but the 
growers are not less so with respect to kinds. It is 
almost easier to pass a camel through the eye of a 
needle than it is to get many of them to take up the 
cultivation of any new kind. We saw vast quantities 
of the London market Celery growing the other day; 
there were probably not less than 20 acres, and the 
rows were already banked up very much in the 
fashion of besiegers’ trenches, except that they were 
in every case straight and parallel. Still an army of 
sharp-shooters would have found in this Celery field 
a welcome protection and cover. But we could not go 
into ecstacies over the appearance of the vast myriads 
of plants, although the culture was so excellent, 
because the leafage showed too much length of stalk, 
and the hearts were too low down. We were told that 
the very high feeding given bred pipiness in the stalks, 
and can very well believe, still the market growers 
hold on to their kind tenaciously. For our growth 
we should prefer a good stock of Leicester Red or 
Fulham Pink of coloured sorts, or of Incomparable 
Dwarf White or Grove White, but from any of these 
kinds the growers for market would turn with pro¬ 
found contempt. Huge breeds, 6 ft. in width, 
containing cross rows 15 in. apart, and each of five 
or six plants, were banked up 4 ft. in height. 
These were the beds in which the seedling plants were 
first dibbled out into, and every other row being taken 
out, the rest were left for early blanching. 
- er~ - -~o —- 
Sedum spectabilis. —It would be difficult to name 
a more effective autumn flowering-plant than this 
popular favourite. It may be seen in numbers of 
our London suburban gardens as well as in those of 
larger pretensions, and we noticed quite a lot of it at 
Shepherd’s Bush Station the other day. The pink 
flowers and glaucous leaves give a charming contrast, 
and not unfrequently the effect is enhanced by the 
brilliant colours of the Red Admiral and Tortoiseshell 
butterflies, which frequent the flowers for the nectar 
seereted by them. 
