138 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Nov. 1st, 1884. 
Strawberries : Autumn Treatment. — There 
are few things in gardens more badly treated than 
Strawberries, which as soon as their leaves get a little 
shabby, and often before, are stripped and left naked, 
as they are subject to a trimming and have all the 
foliage removed, rvhen the hearts are exposed to hard 
frost and whatever inclement weather we get during 
winter. Instead of thus denuding them, all they 
should have done with them is just the runners cut 
off and the weeds and litter cleared away, when all 
will be ready for a top-dressing of dung, which ■will 
not only enrich the soil but feed and encourage the 
surface roots, and assist in protecting the crowns of 
the plants. Digging among these, as is frequently 
done, is almost as bad as robbing them of their 
foliage, and on no account should the ground be 
disturbed, except by hoeing, as the firmer Strawberries 
are in the earth, the better they do. 
Where new beds have to be prepared, this is a good 
time for doing it, and the way to set about this work 
is to well manure the land, and then deeply dig or 
trench it, after which it should be trodden firm and, 
-when levelled, ^marked out in rows. The proper 
distance for these will depend on the sorts of Straw¬ 
berries to be grown, but there is nothing gained by 
stinting them for room, and it is, in most cases, 
advisable to have the lines a yard apart, and 18 ins. or 
so from plant to plant. This gives plenty of space for 
the purpose of getting between to gather the fruit, 
which, by having full light and sun, colours well, and 
is first-class in flavour. Many are very particular 
about having young runners in forming fresh planta¬ 
tions, but some of our best market-growers, seem to 
prefer what they get from old stools, which, when 
destroying worn-out beds, they dig up and pull to 
pieces, and plant the best and most promising, which 
being strong, break well, and soon throw out a number 
of fresh crowns around them. 
What I like best are the plants that have been 
forced, which bear heavy crops the year following, and 
after standing another season are got rid of, instead of 
being left to cumber the ground. Why Strawberries 
fail is in letting them remain too long as they grow 
themselves out and form quite stems above the soil, 
with exposed collars, that are bare of young roots, 
when the crowns cease to flower.— Alpha. 
Raspberries. — These, like Strawberries, are 
subjected to much ill-usage, as they are either forked 
or dug amongst as if there were no such things as 
roots belonging to them, instead of which their active 
feeders are mostly on the surface, where they should 
be left undisturbed, and have a top-dressing of manure 
to act as a mulching, to lie on and rot gradually 
during the winter. Before this is given, however, it is 
necessary to go over the plants and pull up any 
straggling suckers that stand away from the stools, 
and cut out any canes not wanted. The requisite 
number, if the plants are at the usual distance of 
4 ft. apart, being from three to five, according to their 
size and strength. This done, the next thing is to 
examine the stakes to see if they will go another 
year, and if not, they should be renewed by placing 
others, or substituting iron, which, in the end, is the 
cheapest, as it lasts for an indefinite time. Some 
train or support then- Raspberries by using strained 
wire, which answers admirably, as the canes may be 
spread out, and the fruit more exposed, which gives 
it better colour and flavour. If the training is done 
to stakes, it is a good plan to give the canes a twist 
round, carrying half one way and the remainder the 
other, by doing which they hold up stiffer, and will 
almost stand of themselves. Autumn-bearing kinds 
may be cut quite down, as they fruit from the young 
growth, and when beheaded, the ground should be 
manured the same as advised for the others.— Alpha. 
Whinham’s Industry Gooseberry.—“ As a 
grower of several years’ standing,” writes Mr. Geo. 
Fawkes, Bransford Road, Worcester, to The Gardeners' 
Magazine , “ I can safely say that Industry Gooseberry 
surpasses any of the older varieties for growth, bearing, 
and what is of great importance to market-gardeners, 
weight and size of berry. From a plantation of two- 
and-a-half years, say three summers’ growth at the 
time of gathering, my average crop this season was 
from ten trees one pot (local measure) or 84 lbs. of 
berries. The growth is so good that the trees planted 
6 ft. by 5 ft. are nearly, and in some eases are, touching 
each other. It is an upright growing sort, and, I 
think, impatient of much pruning, where the shoots 
are left long, they fruit to the very tips. It has this 
very desirable quality (when the spring frosts are 
frequent) in flowering later, and the berry swells 
quicker than is usual in any other variety.” Mr. 
Fawkes adds that Messrs. R. Smith & Co., St. John’s 
Nursery, Worcester, are cultivating this variety 
largely. 
Fruit Show at the Health Exhibition.— 
The last of the admirable series of Fruit Shows 
organized by the Health Exhibition authorities took 
place on Tuesday,* Wednesday, and Thursday last, 
and if anything the show was visited by a larger number 
of persons than either of the others. It was in all 
respects an excellent Show, some nineteen hundred 
dishes of Apples alone being staged. The trade 
growers were well represented, such firms as Messrs. 
Rivers & Sons, Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Messrs. 
Cheal & Sons, Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Messrs. 
Lane & Son, and Messrs. G. & J. Lane, of St. Mary’s 
Cray, Kent, having large collections of fine samples, 
carefully named and well put up. The prizes for 100 
varieties were won by Messrs. H. Lane and Son, 
Berkhamstead, Messrs. G. & J. Lane and Messrs. 
Bunyard. The amateurs’ class for 50 sorts was also 
a strong one, and in a brisk competition Mr. Haycock, 
Barham Court, came in first; Mr. Sidney Ford, 
Leonardslee, Horsham, second; and Mr. G. Gold¬ 
smith, Hollanden, third. Good collections were also 
shown by Mr. Evans, gardener to J. S. Hodgson, Esq., 
Lythe Hill, Haslemere; Mr. Waterman, gardener, 
Preston Hall; Mr. Cummings, gardener, The Grange, 
Wallington; Mr. J. Gilmour, gardener, Seacox Heath, 
Sussex; and J. Searl, Esq., Crediton, Devon, whose 
samples were, however, much speckled, and nothing 
like so fine as those grown in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. 
Class 3 was confined to growers in the Northern and 
Midland Counties of England, but it did not bring 
out much competition, the only collection we saw 
being one put up by Mr. J. H. Goodacre, Elvaston 
Castle, Derby, which contained, however, an excellent 
lot of samples. From Scotland there was only one 
collection, and that a poor one as regards quality. 
France and the Channel Islands were unrepresented, 
but Messrs. Northard & Lowe, Cotton’s Wharf, sent 
a fine exhibit of Nova Scotian varieties. The best 
half-dozen culinary varieties were Mere de Menage, 
Brabant Bellefleur, Peasgood’s Nonsuch, Blenheim 
Orange, Lane’s Prince Albert, and Annie Elizabeth, 
all very large specimens, shown by Mr. C. Ross, 
gardener, Welford Park, Newbury. Mr. Haycock 
staged the best dozen varieties, which consisted of 
Mere de Menage, Belle Dubois, Reinette Tres Tardive, 
Warner’s King, Blenheim Orange, Peasgood’s Non¬ 
such, Reinette du Canada, Lord Derby, Dr. Harvey, 
Dumelow’s Seedling, Stone’s Apple, and Bedfordshire 
Foundling. In the dessert classes, Mr. Rutland, 
gardener to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, 
Goodwood, staged the best twelve sorts, but it was 
a close race for first honours between him and Mr. 
Haycock. The Goodwood varieties were the Scarlet 
Pearmain, Ribston Pippin, Pennington’s Seedling, 
Lewis’ Incomparable, the Nannie Apple, Melon Apple, 
Adams’ Pearmain, Cockle Pippin, Cox’s Orange 
Pippin, Ingestrie Yellow, Nonpareil, Golden Russet, 
and King of the Pippins. For six dessert sorts the 
first prize went to Mr. Goldsmith. Mr. Rutland also 
had the six heaviest fruits, samples of Gloria Mundi, 
which collectively weighed 7 lbs. 2-^ ozs., the next 
heaviest being Mere de Menage, 6 lbs. 8 ozs., from Mr. 
Walker, of Thame. The first prize for the highest- 
flavoured variety fell to a splendidly-coloured sample 
of Cox’s Orange Pippin, shown by Mr. Waterman, 
while the same variety was also second, and Ribston 
Pippin third. The first prize for Filberts and Cob¬ 
nuts was won by E. D. Lee, Esq., Hartwell House, 
Aylesbury, with a nice collection of fourteen dishes. 
In the class for six dishes of Pears there were 
half-a-dozen competitors, and Mr. Haycock came in 
first with superb specimens of Pitmaston Duchess, 
Duchesse d’Angouleme, General Todtleben, Passe 
Crassane, Doyenne du Comice, and Conseiller du 
Cour. 
Eucharis.—At p. 86, “X.” very correctly describes 
the Eucharis I referred to at p. 69 as being erroneously 
called E. Candida. As “ X.” points out, the growth is 
very similar, in fact no one but an expert would 
detect the difference unless it happened to be pointed 
out to them; but when E. subedentata does flower, 
which is seldom, its distinctness can at once be seen. 
From a gardener’s point of view I think the latter 
variety worthless. I knew a plant for four years 
which only flowered once in that time, though under 
the care of a good Eucharis-grower, who at last threw 
it on the rubbish heap. I would like to inform 
“ R. P. G.” that I find E. Candida flowers equally as 
freely as E. grandiflora. I have never seen more 
than eight flowers on a spike of the last-named 
variety, whilst I have had ten flowers on a spike of 
E. Candida. As to the flowers of the latter being 
equal to E. grandiflora, I would say that it depends 
upon what use we put them to; and I th ink this is 
the best way of deciding upon their merits. Both of 
them are indispensable. I do not attempt to claim 
superiority for E. Candida as a decorative plant, or for 
arrangements of cut-flowers for either drawing-room 
or dinner-table decorations, over E. grandiflora, 
although for all these purposes it will be found to fill 
a by no means inconspicuous position, and is certain 
to come in for much admiration. But for button¬ 
hole or other bouquets which have to be thought 
of nowadays, I do claim for E. Candida the first 
position, and for this purpose I feel confident 
“R. P. G.” will readily do the same. I have not 
grown E. Sanderiana, which is evidently a favourite 
with “ R. P. G.” I may perhaps, however, be 
permitted to say that I formed an adverse opinion of 
it from plants I saw in flower at Messrs. Veitch's 
nursery; but as tastes differ, I hope no one will 
object to our enjoying cur respective opinions.— 
E. Dumper .— [Eucharis Sanderiana will undoubtedly 
become a favourite with gardeners, when they know 
more of its easy cultural requirements and free- 
flowering habit.— Ed.] 
Salvia Blue Beard. — Amongst the novelties to 
be introduced next year by Mr. B. S. Williams, we 
note a very handsome hardy annual bearing this name, 
which grows about 8 ins. high, and is of free-branching 
habit, with square stems and sage-like foliage. “ The 
spikes are furnished at the apex of the shoots, with a 
number of brilliant deep mauve-purple bracts, which 
give to the plant a most unique appearance. The 
flowers, which are produced in a series of whorls, are 
small, and of a bright purplish colour,, with the lower 
lip white.” It should be sown in February, and 
grown on for planting in large beds and borders, in 
which position, Mr. Williams remarks, it has a very 
effective appearance. 
Willdenovia teres.—A specimen of this graceful 
plant may now be seen in the Cactus-house at Kew. 
It is a most interesting subject, and belongs to the 
Restiacere, an order seldom seen in cultivation. This 
species, however, has long been cultivated, as it was 
introduced from the Cape of Good Hope as long ago 
as 1790. The stems are sedge-like, and erect for over 
2 ft. high, after which the numerous branches arch 
over, and hang down in the most graceful fashion. 
The very numerous branchlets are bright green, and 
each bears at the end a little spikelet of deep brown 
bracts, forming a charming contrast. It grows well 
in a mixture of loam and peat, and is readily 
propagated by division of the root. 
Ardisia mammillata.—This is a new Ardisia, 
described by Dr. Hance in the October number of 
The Journal of Botany. He there remarks:—“This 
charming compact little plant is worth cultivating for 
the rich bright foliage and wax-like blossoms, and, as 
Mr. Ford has it growing in a strong and healthy 
condition, I have no doubt it will soon find its way 
into English collections. Its nearest affinity is with 
the Hong-Kong A. primukefolia.” It was collected in 
Lo-fausham in the province of Canton, by Mr. Ford. 
