334 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
Jan, 24th, 1885. 
filters to % (BbUor. 
“THE GRAND OLD DAHLIA.” 
That fine old variety, Picta Formosissima, rein¬ 
troduced by Messrs. Cannell, of Swanley, last year 
after a lapse of nearly half a century, has, I presume, 
been extensively grown during the past season; but 
as circumstances precluded the possibility of my 
taking an active part in plant-culture during last 
summer, I should like to know from some of your 
readers who grew it how it succeeded with them, and 
especially if it maintained the good character it 
enjoyed nearly fifty years ago. 
I was much interested in the extract given at p. 294 
from Miss Mitford’s account of “ The Lost Dahlia” 
Phosbus. At the time this very interesting story 
was written, 1837, many of the Dahlia-growers had 
a variety in their price lists named “Phoebe,” a 
crimson flower tipped with white ; from the descrip¬ 
tion given of the former, I presume this cannot be 
identified with Miss Mitford’s favourite. When we 
consider how many thousands of varieties have been 
introduced and lost during the last fifty years, 
although costing in most cases 10s. 6d. each when first 
sent out, it appears almost a miracle that “ Picta 
Formosissima ” should have been preserved for such a 
time. I should like to grow it again if only for auld 
lang syne .—Man of Kent. 
-**<■- 
POTATOS FOR AN AMATEUR. 
I beg to thank your correspondents who have so 
readily and so courteously responded to my query 
respecting Potatos. That there should be found in 
the three selections given lastweek so much diversity of 
opinion is, doubtless, natural, because of the number 
of sorts of Potatos in cultivation, and if I am some¬ 
what troubled as to which kinds to select, I am 
but in the position of Captain Macheath, who, 
troubled with the attention of two sweethearts, would 
have been ever so happy with one were ’tother dear 
charmer away. In saying this it must not be thought 
that I am ungracious. I am only perplexed. After 
all, we see correspondents giving their selections from 
diverse parts of the kingdom with the utmost good 
faith, and also according to their knowledge of various 
kinds. Probably there is no man in the kingdom who 
could give me a fair and full selection from all the 
kinds of Potatos in commerce, especially as it is a fact 
that some twenty or more kinds have, I learn, been 
put into commerce for the first time this winter, and 
the respective merits of those can yet be known only 
to a limited circle of persons. I confess I am so fond 
of Potatos I should never the of growing yearly a 
hundred kinds, and include always all the newest 
sorts, for there is a great deal that is interesting, 
and very much that is both useful and profitable in 
Potato culture. I shall make my selection now 
according to the best of my judgment, and shall hope 
to find I have found some first-class varieties.— 
A Sussex Amateur. 
MARKET GARDENING. 
Your able leader in last week’s paper on this 
subject touches on an important matter. You refer 
to the many drawbacks and difficulties by which the 
home grower is handicapped, and, no doubt wisely, 
you allude to foreign competition as one of the chief 
of these. As you state, we market growers keep 
pegging away, and when we find ourselves overcrowded 
or out-classed in any one branch through foreign 
competition, we carve out a fresh line for ourselves. 
We certainly do feel disposed to grumble occasionally, 
for we cannot forget that, after having created a 
demand in the markets and done most of the pioneer 
work, the Channel Island and Continental growers, 
with their better climate, low rent, and lower rates 
and taxes, step in and cut us out. 
Truly, it is satisfactory to know that the great 
population is plentifully and cheaply supplied, and 
but for the remembrance of the fact that the profits 
derived horn the increased demand go to enrich 
foreign countries, there would be nothing to grumble 
at; and there is also the satisfaction of knowing that 
many foreign producers do have to pay a heavy duty 
for the privilege of selling their produce in the 
English markets. I believe I am correct in stating 
that fruits, such as Currants, Raisins, and Prunes, 
pay a duty of 7s. per hundredweight, and that must 
bring in a large addition to the revenue, but we must 
not forget that the duty would faR off considerably if 
home growers could take up the cultivation of 
Currants, Raisins, and Prunes. 
We do produce Strawberries, Cherries, and many 
other kinds of fruit in great abundance, as well as 
large quantities of vegetables, though certainly not 
sufficient to meet the ever-increasing demands of the 
population, and the said population might now be 
benefited to a greater extent than they are were it 
possible for us to come to their doors and supply them 
direct from our grounds and gardens. 
Unfortunately, there is the salesman, who demands 
his bond from home grower and foreign producer 
alike, and I wish the British public and the home 
producers would combine to dispense with this 
go-between. Traders generally run down the Stores 
system, but in that we have, at all events, the 
salesman and retail dealer combined, and so ought to 
gain something. I think that with a little encourage¬ 
ment and with better means of intercourse between 
consumer and grower, the market gardening industry 
would become wide enough to supply the entire com¬ 
munity. The encouragement might be given by 
imposing a smaU import duty on green and dried 
fruits alike and on all vegetables, and ways and 
means could, I think, be suggested for bringing 
about a better acquaintance between buyer and seUer. 
I will conclude by instancing a few crops that 
farmers might take up without much previous 
knowledge, that are always in great demand, 
and that pay growers fairly well. Leaving flowers 
out of the question, I would recommend, of vege¬ 
tables : Cabbages, Green Peas, Beans (especially 
the runner and dwarf sorts), Cauliflowers, earliest 
Kidney Potatos, Vegetable Marrows, Rhubarb, and 
Celery. Of fruits : Strawberries, for fresh fruit and 
jam; small bush fruits, particularly Gooseberries; 
also Damsons.— Authentes. 
MANURES FOR PLANTS. 
In answer to “Plantman’s” inquiry in your issue 
of January 10th, as to the cheapest and best Manures 
for pot plants, I may say that I have tried various 
Manures from time to time both for plants and fruit 
trees, and find that the cheapest is not always the 
best, but what I have proved for the last two years 
to be the best Manure for producing fruit and flowers, 
is the Blood and Bone Manure, sold by Mr. H. G. 
Smyth, 21, Goldsmiths’ Street, Drury Lane. It may 
either be used by sprinkling a little twice a week on 
the surface of the soil and watered in, or be dissolved 
in water and used as a liquid, and both for soft and 
hard wooded plants it is quite safe. I may add, that 
I like it very much for sowing on vine borders during 
the time the Grapes are swelling and watering it in, it 
is most beneficial to them. I also used it last year 
to sixty fruit-trees in 9-in. pots, composed of Peaches, 
Nectarines, Plums, and Figs, and from some of the 
varieties of Peaches I picked fruits weighing from 
8 ozs. to 10 ozs. each .—James Vert, Audley End 
Gardens, Saffron Walden. 
-- 
PROTECTION OF PLANTS. 
The readers of The Gardening World need not 
be told that the inside of a greenhouse is warmer than 
the outside, but they may not know how great a 
protection even a badly constructed, unheated house 
is to flowering plants. I found in my garden when I 
came here a structure, which, from courtesy, is called 
a greenhouse, with sidewalls of wet boards and roof of 
old-fashioned lights nailed roughly together. Yet in this 
house, into which during the late severe weather the wind, 
the rain, and the snow made their way freely through 
holes in the boards and broken panes in the roof, the 
lowest point which the mercury touched was 30 degs., 
while outside, against a south wall, it fell to 10 degs. 
Seventeen different kinds of plants were in the house, 
Chrysanthemums, Pelargoniums, Abutilons,Echeverias, 
Auriculas, Epacris, Fuchias, Gazanias, Hydrangeas, 
Christmas Roses, Campanulas, Calceolarias, Nicotiana 
affinis, CEnotheras, Paris Marguerites, Penstemons, 
and Pansies, yet none appear to have suffered, and 
during the last few days one or two have even thrown 
out some buds. 
Glass, of course, is a great protector to plants, but I 
believe that the weU-being of those in question is not 
entirely due to the glass, but is partly owing to the 
good treatment they received during the previous 
portion of the year when their wants were carefully 
attended to. The moral from this is twofold : First, 
that those who wish to preserve their plants in winter 
should strengthen their constitutions by careful atten¬ 
tion to their needs during the- previous summer and 
autumn; second, that they should put them in a 
greenhouse; and a greenhouse, in these days of cheap 
glass, can be put up by a handy amateur at a moderate 
cost.— A. S. B. 
TOMATOS IN WINTER. 
Replying to “ Inquirer ” on the flavour and quality 
of Tomatos, I think—and I have grown most of the 
leading varieties, Criterion, Excelsior, Trophy, Con¬ 
queror, Dwarf Red, Dedham Favourite, and others— 
that there can be no question about the superior 
flavour and quality of the Green Gage variety. Last 
summer I put this question to the test on every 
opportunity, and invariably with the same result. 
As I had over a thousand plants under glass and 
in the open-air, and was amongst them daily the 
whole season, I should not like to say how many 
fruit I ate during that time, but I certainly disposed 
of a dozen of Green Gage to one of any other variety. 
A medical gentleman, who was a frequent visitor, 
declared that the fruit of the Green Gage was more 
like a sweetmeat than a fruit. 
This variety is also free-bearing and early, and 
wiU crop from June till October. I have not tried 
it in winter, though I should be strongly disposed 
to do so if the market demands were encouraging. 
As I cannot give “Inquirer” practical illustrations, 
I will say nothing about the other part of his question. 
— Authentes. 
In reply to “ Inquirer ” at p. 317, allow me to state 
that I saw at Cuerden HaU, Preston, several plants 
a fortnight before Christmas, bearing from eighteen 
to twenty-four fruits ripe or ripening on each. The 
sorts were Yick’s Criterion and the common red. I 
understood, one or two large sorts had been tried for 
winter work, but have proved worthless. I have had 
no experience in the winter culture of Tomatos, so 
must be silent upon that point .—James Smith, The 
Gardens, Ormerod House, Burnley, Lancashire. 
-- 
TOMATOS UNDER GLASS. 
Whilst very much interested in learning the reply 
to the query put by “ Inquirer ” at p. 317, with respect 
to the flavour of various kinds of Tomatos, I shall 
feel more so if any one of your practical readers will 
give some useful information as to the best method 
of dealing with Tomato plants in pots in a cool house 
in the summer. What size pot is best for single plants 
to be grown to stakes? How much should growth be 
stopped ? Should bunches of young fruit be t hinn ed ? 
Is a single stake better than two or three or other¬ 
wise, and are stakes better for training than a trellis ? 
What should be about the quantity of fruit a single 
pot plant may carry? Also is the giving of liquid 
manure desirable ?— J. E. S. 
MEALY-BUG. 
Having had a considerable amount of experience 
with mealy-bug, and used a variety of insecticides, 
good, bad and indifferent, for its eradication, permit 
me to give in a few words a sovereign remedy, in fact, 
the only one worth the paper it can be printed on, 
viz., catch them and kill them, and I will back it 
against anything else for cheapness and thoroughness. 
I found, when I came here, a miscellaneous collection 
of stove plants, with a Stephanotis trained under the 
glass roof, some Gardenias and other equally trouble¬ 
some subjects infested with this pest. Much time had 
to be spent in cleaning them, oftentimes when it could 
ill be spared, and I made up my mind to rid the place of 
the plague at whatever cost of time, knowing full well 
that if successful I should be amply repaid for my 
labour. Early in the winter we set to work and had 
a thorough cleaning all round of plants and paint, 
