276 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Jan. 3rd, 1885. 
surface of the eartl, I am not prepared to decide ; 
hut the result invariably is that, if a body of 
roots or Potatos be partly injured, the rotten ones 
■will be found at the bottom. If the clamp be 
broadside to the north or east wind, the rotten 
ones will be found in the form of a triangle on 
the side where the wind has blown, the base of 
the triangle being at the bottom ; if, however, 
the clamp had been situated with the end to the 
wind, the rotten roots will be found at that end 
in the form of an inverted M> that is, there will 
be a decayed triangle on each side. The length 
and depth to which this decay would extend along 
the clamp would of course depend on the severity 
and length of the frost. This was conspicuously 
shown after the severe snowstorm and frost in 
the early part of the year 1880. In several 
instances I saw that precautions were taken 
during the course of the frost by covering the 
tops of clamps, but it was at the bottom of them, 
as described, that the mischief occurred. The 
obvious required precaution is therefore thus 
shown. In the case of clamps after several days 
of frost, with a prospect of its continuing, long 
manure, straw, hedge-trimmings, or whatever 
may be at hand, should be packed a foot or 
more thick, and a yard or so wide on the surface 
soil at the base of the clamp, at the side on 
which the blast is impinging. It is the same 
with a brick building. If a bed or heap of 
Potatos or Mangold be stored in a barn, either 
all over a bay or in one or more corners, and 
the same be well covered with straw, there will 
be no fear of the top or outer side of the heap 
being frozen. But the part of the heaps which 
are near to the wall will be found to have been 
frozen in the form of a triangle, as mentioned. 
The fact is the frost rises, so to express it, from 
the foundation of the brickwork being communi¬ 
cated with from the surface soil outside. This 
shows the importance of packing a body of long 
manure or a quantity of straw on the surface soil 
outside the brickwork.” 
Flower-Boxes. —The committee appointed by 
the Council of the Eoyal Botanic Society to award 
the Silver and Bronze Medals for boxes for the 
carriage of cut flowers by Parcels Post, report 
that they advertised certain conditions to be 
complied with in competition for such medals. 
Eight manufacturers submitted sample boxes of 
cardboard, wood, and metal, both folding and 
rigid. The committee awarded the Silver Medal 
to Messrs. E. Hall & Son, of Hammet Street, 
Minories, E., for a tin box, 15 ins. by 9 ins. by 
6 ins., costing 9s. 6c?. per dozen, well made and 
strong, capable of holding about 2 lbs. of cut 
flowers ; and the Bronze Medal to Mr. J. W. 
Hoffman, of 54, Junction Eoad, N., for a small 
tin box with lifting frame, furnished with elastic 
bands to hold single flowers or sprays, the ends 
of the stalks dipping into damp moss at the 
bottom of the box. 
The Negeo Largo Fig at Gunnersbuby Park. 
—In one of the early forcing-houses at Gunnersbury 
Park, Mr. Eoberts has a number of plants of this 
excellent Fig plunged in pits in a border, that are 
almost daily ripening then- fruit. The age of the 
trees vary from eight and nine months to three and 
four years; and the younger plants, which are mere 
bushes, are heavily laden with fruit. One excellent 
characteristic of this variety is that it fruits so well in 
a young state. Mr. Eoberts can do nothing with it 
planted out, but in pots he has it under perfect 
control. The flesh of the fruit of this variety is pale- 
red in colour, very tender and juicy, with a rich, 
thick, and highly-flavoured juice, and when highly 
ripened the flesh and skin together become quite 
melting. It is undoubtedly one of the very best Figs 
for pot culture, and every grower of Figs should have 
it in their collection.— E. W. 
(§n:rbcmncf liisalhmg* 
Tee Eose Show dates which have been fixed up to 
the present time are —South Kensington, July 8th; 
Manchester, July 11th; Crystal Palace, July 4th ; 
Sutton, Surrey, July 8th ; and Canterbury, July 27tli. 
We are glad to learn that, besides the Exhibitions of 
the Florists’ Societies already announced to be held in 
the Eoyal Horticultural Society’s Conservatory at South 
Kensington, there will be Promenade Shows on March 
10th and April 28th ; and Exhibitions of Pot Eoses, 
Azaleas, &e., on May 26th ; Orchids on June 9th; 
Pelargoniums on June 23rd; Plants and Flowers on 
July 14th, and August 11th and 12th ; Dahlias, Grapes, 
&c., on September 8th and 9th; and Fruits and 
Vegetables on October 13th, 14th, and 15th. 
Mr. N. Davis’s new Catalogue of Chrysanthemums 
contains a list of over 900 varieties ; a useful list of 
synonyms; and a capital monthly calendar of cultural 
operations. 
Mr. W. Goodall, formerly of Milton Abbey Gardens, 
Dorset, has been appointed gardener to A. Morrison, 
Esq., at Fonthill, Tisbury, Wilts. 
It is understood that the Executive Committee of 
the Forestry Exhibition have now resolved that a 
selection of the prize essays on forestry subjects shall 
be published. 
A writer in a contemporary gives it as his opinion 
that the China Eose Eadish is the only one worth 
growing in winter. “ If sown in October it will 
bulb now and onwards throughout the winter, let 
the weather be what it may. It is as hardy as a 
Houseleek, and as tender as if of May production. 
We have pulled them up about the size of one’s fist, 
and they have been as tender then as when only a 
quarter the size. Those who grow this Eadish will 
always have at least one kind of salad vegetable in 
winter.” 
The next Exhibition of the Braintree and Booking 
Horticultural Society is announced to be held on 
July 2nd, in the grounds of Booking Place, the 
residence of Sydney Courtould, Esq. 
Messrs. Cannell & Sous, Swanley, have in bloom 
a very pretty Impatiens, with flowers of the colour 
of those of Vinca rosea. It was received from Africa, is 
a very neat grower, and seems to flower as freely as 
Impatiens Sultani. It is a welcome addition to the 
genus. 
The North Wales Chronicle says there has been 
a large falling off in the supply of berried Holly this 
season in the Vale of Clwyd, and much less revenue 
must have been derived from it this year than last, 
when the trees were cut in the most wanton manner 
without any regard to their future bearing. It seems 
astonishing the Holly is not more cultivated when it 
is remembered what high prices it fetches in large 
towns. 
The Lincoln Chrysanthemum Society have fixed 
the date of their next Exhibition for November 17th 
and 18th, when prizes, open to all, of £10, £5, and £2, 
will be offered in a class for forty-eight cut-blooms. 
The Society commences the new year with a balance 
in hand of £53 13s. 6 d. 
During the heavy north-easterly gale which blew 
on Saturday, December 20th, the celebrated and 
historical Elm-tree on Holt Common, near Bradford- 
on-Avon, was uprooted, doing considerable damage 
in its fall. The tree stood on the village green, and 
occupied nearly an acre of land; around the girth 
it was between 40 ft. and 50 ft. in circumference, 
and was supposed to have been 150 ft. high. Many 
of the branches were larger than ordinary sized 
trees, and some years ago it was thought necessary 
for the safety of the public to chain and prop up the 
limbs. It contained many tons of timber, and was 
the property of Mr. T. B. W. Forster, the lord of the 
manor, who is now travelling on the Continent. The 
Holt Elm was one of the sights of Wiltshire, and nearly 
every visitor to that part of the country paid it a visit. 
Underneath its branches many a stirring address has 
been given by the Eev. Eowland Hill and the Eev. 
William Jay. 
SELECT VEGETABLES. 
The time for ordering the supply of seeds for the 
ensuing season being at hand some little help in the 
selection of the same may prove useful to some of 
the readers of The Gardening World. The magni¬ 
ficent catalogues issued by the enterprising seedsmen 
of the present day, while of great usefulness to prac¬ 
tical men, are extremely embarrassing and bewildering 
to amateur gardeners anxious to secure the best 
results for then - outlay. It is better, far better, in 
such a case to leave the selection in the seedsman’s 
hands entirely than to hunt after novelties for which 
a high price is charged and which may after all be 
only the old and common sorts under new names. 
New vegetables are at all times scarce, whilst new 
names are most abundant. 
Artichoke. 
Green or Purple Globe. 
A good selection of either will suffice. There is 
comparatively little difference. Some four or five 
named varieties are offered. 
Asparagus. 
Common or Giant. 
There may be said to be only one variety of 
Asparagus in cultivation, although some twelve or 
fourteen distinct names exist. 
Beans—Broad. 
1. Seville Longpod. 
2. Aquadulce or Leviathan. 
3. Broad Windsor or Green Windsor. 
4. Beck’s Dwarf Green Gem. 
No. 1 is very early and has extremely long pods, but 
is somewhat tender. No. 2 is of robust growth, the 
pods long, excellent for general crop. No. 3, beans 
large and of excellent quality, greatly preferred by 
some, especially the green-seeded. No. 4, grows only 
about 12 ins. high, is very prolific and useful in some 
situations. 
The Early Mazagan, recommended in many lists as 
the best early sort is, in fact, the latest and most 
inferior. 
Beans—Kidney or French Dwarf. 
1. Osborn’s Early Forcing or Prolific. 
2. Victoria Longpodded. 
3. Mammoth Longpodded Negro. 
4. Canadian Wonder or Crimson Flageolet. 
No. 1 is very early and prolific, suitable for forcing. 
No. 2 is an extremely pretty Bean and a good cropper. 
No. 3 is of strong growth, has very long pods, and is 
a great cropper, an excellent sort for general purposes. 
No. 4 has pods very long, is very prolific, and comes 
in for a late supply. The varieties of Dwarf Kidney 
Beans are very numerous and many of them very 
inferior. 
Beans—Climbing or Runner. 
Scarlet Runners, 
For all ordinary purposes this is the only variety 
required. The variations exist more in the colour of 
the seeds than in any other character. English-saved 
seed should be obtained if possible as it is more 
prolifio than the Dutch. 
Beet or Beetroot. 
1. Nutting’s Select Dwarf Red. 
2. Pine-Apple Short Top. 
3. Dell’s Crimson. 
4. Egyptian or Turnip-rooted. 
No. 1 has for many years proved to be the best 
variety for general use, being of medium size, fine 
colour, and quality. No. 2 is in colour particularly 
dark, and is of fine quality; it is somewhat difficult to 
secure a true stock of. No. 3 is a small, very useful 
sort for growing on rich soils; leaves very highly 
coloured, hence used as an ornamental foliaged plant. 
No. 4. The roots are round or Turnip-shaped; it 
comes very early into use, and may be said to 
maintain a summer supply well adapted for sowing in 
shallow soils; quality excellent, although the colour 
is somewhat pale. We ourselves prefer this variety to 
all others. 
Borecole or Kale. 
1. Dwarf Green Curled, or German Greens. 
2. Buda Kale. 
3. Cottagers’ Kale. 
No. 1 is the ■well-known Scotch Kale, one of the 
hardiest of vegetables, and one which is very useful 
in severe seasons. No. 2, Buda Kale, is very hardy, 
but the young sprouts gathered in spring are exceed¬ 
ingly tender, and of fine quality. No. 3, Cottagers’ 
Kale, is a sort of bastard Brussels Sprout, very hardy, 
and of excellent quality; an extremely useful 
vegetable,— B. 
(To he continued.) 
