414 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Feb. 28th, 1885. 
NOTES ON CARROTS. 
Or late years several new types of Carrot have 
been introduced into seed lists, the results of 
careful selection. Certainly one of the most useful 
and deservedly popular is the little form of French 
Horn, which is very useful because it can be sown at 
all seasons of the year. I have just dined, and the 
principal dish of vegetables was one of these delicious 
little Carrots, drawn from an open border, under a 
west wall. The soil is light and rich, the border warm 
and sheltered, and here the seeds were sown in drills 
in the month of August last, and for weeks past these 
Carrots have been pulled almost daily. It is a variety 
that does not make much top, and soon forms Carrots. 
Nor is it necessary to thin the crop, as some of them 
soon begin to turn in, and the work of thinning is 
performed by successive pullings. Another French 
variety is the Early Nantes, or stump-rooted French 
Horn. It is longer than the preceding, and requires 
a little more time for turning in. It is intermediate 
in size between the French forcing Horn and an 
English Horn, the latter being larger, broader, and 
tapering to a point. This is one of the most useful 
Carrots that can be grown in a garden, especially in 
shallow soil; in good land it grows to a large size, and 
is first rate for table purposes. 
James's Scarlet Intermediate, or Merriott Scarlet is 
a well known variety, and taking it all together one 
of the best for a general crop and for Exhibition 
purposes, as it is of a good colour, and comes out of 
the ground clean and handsome. In some parts of the 
country Carrots are judged for then' colour: the deeper 
the orange red, the more are they approved by the 
judges. However handsome they may be, any of a 
pale colour are put back. There will be differences of 
opinion as to this course of action, but this much can 
be said in commendation of it—-it secures a good stock. 
At the Exhibition of the Newbury Horticultural 
Society, some of the finest types of Intermediate 
Carrots one can desire to look upon are produced, but 
that is the home of the Shaw 7 family, well-known 
seed growers, and famous for their stock of Carrots. In 
the South of England the Long Red Surrey is the 
staple Carrot for market purposes, though the 
Intermediate is a formidable rival to it. The Long 
Red Surrey should be without a particle of green at 
its top, and rich in its orange-red colour. The 
Altringham Carrot, when represented by a good stock 
is long, deep-orange red in colour, and with a green top. 
The variety has the peculiarity of thrusting itself up 
out of the soil 3 ins. or 4 ins. above the ground. It is 
largely grown in the midland and northern districts, 
and greatly in request in the Manchester, Liverpool, 
and other markets. The Long Orange or Studley 
Carrot is to all appearance a selection from the 
Long Red Surrey, and it is said to have originated at 
the village of Studley, between Caine and Chippen¬ 
ham ; where it is still grown, and it is not unusual to 
see a batch of Carrots seeding in most cottage 
gardens. These three being long, require a deep, well- 
tilled soil, if the grower would have them of handsome 
and symmetrical shape. In the foregoing we get our 
best garden Carrots. 
Large quantities of seeds of Altringham, Surrey, 
Long Orange, Intermediate, and English Horn Carrots 
are grown in Essex, Cambridgeshire, and Bedfordshire, 
as well as in other counties. It is astonishing what 
quantities of seeds are required. The work of 
cleaning, mixing, and packing Carrot seeds in large 
quantities is a disagreeable one in the wholesale seed 
warehouses ; but it is accepted as a necessary part of 
the routine of warehouse operations.— E. D. 
- Q—. ■ !£ ■<> " ! ■ .__e — 
fetters to tbc (Sbitor. 
SHOW PRIZES AND AWARDS. 
I venture to think that very few exhibitors will 
agree with “ The Writer ” that a change is required 
in the system of‘awarding and distributing Show 
prizes. I believe that exhibitors generally will prefer 
the amounts of the different prizes to be definitely 
fixed as now, rather than leave it to the decision of 
judges or committee-men. The committee, on Mr. 
Holmes’ showing, being generally made up of 
exhibitors, is a body totally unfitted to fairly apportion 
prize-money. In my opinion, when the prizes are pro¬ 
portionately graduated, as they generally are—and not 
as in the one Special Chrysanthemum class, upon 
which “ The Writer ” originally based his argument, 
and in which the second prize was less than half the 
amount of the first—the usual arrangement will agree 
with the views of exhibitors generally. As for a reform 
in prize awards being “inevitable,” this maybe the 
opinion of “ The Writer,” but I think the majority of 
exhibitors will agree that the “good time?” is likely 
to be a very long time coming.— Another Exhibitor. 
May I, as an old exhibitor, be allowed to offer a few 
remarks on the subject of the leader, at p. 339 ? 
The greatest difficulty, I opine, would be that the 
groove of custom and practice in framing schedules is 
so universal that any abrupt and sudden departure 
from it would be likely to unhinge the vehicle. 
There are exhibitors and exhibitors ; how would the 
proposed alterations affect the two types ? First, let 
us consider that class who, by their disinterestedness, 
love of fair-play, and love of horticulture, have helped 
to place our exhibitions on their present high platform. 
These men, who consider the honour of winning in 
good company as the highest reward for their merits, 
would not be disposed to cavil at any innovation 
that proposed the more even distribution of pecuniary 
awards. W T ith the highest award would still go the 
greatest honour, and more or less pecuniary gain 
would be a subject of secondary moment. 
But again, we have to consider the position of the 
exhibitors who make showing more or less a business. 
Without that class of competitors, many of our grand 
displays would be shorn of their gayest and most 
attractive proportions. With them it is.'a question of 
pounds, shillings, and pence, and they must calculate 
their chances pretty accurately at the beginning of the 
season if they intend to secure the plums. The 
tempting offer of, say, £20, to be divided into first, 
second, and third, “ at the discretion of the judges,” 
would certainly lead to a more serious business view 
being taken of the matter, on the principle that “ the 
more the outlay the higher the prize gained.” Adrnit- 
ing the fairest judging, calculating by points, and 
awarding accordingly, the latter class of exhibitors 
would seldom leave much “ plum ” for their more 
disinterested brethren. Champion classes would soon 
become more prevalent at our large shows, which 
would then distinguish between the two classes of 
competitors. I, for one, do not think the proposal 
at all a startling one ; on the contrary, I think it is a 
good move in the right direction.— Authentes. 
- ^ - 
DO WE PROGRESS ? 
Fifty years ago the art of propagating must have 
been well understood, judging from the following 
extract taken from The Floricultural Cabinet , 
1835 :— 
“ Propagating the Dahlia. —The most successful 
method I have ever adopted is to put the roots in 
pots, the size of which should be in proportion to 
the size of the roots, any good rich mould may be 
used. When potted they should be placed in a house 
or frame (the temperature of which should be from 
65 degs. to 75degs.), and sprinkled at least once a day 
with clean water. As soon as they have produced 
shoots 3 ins. or 4 ins. in length they should be 
carefully taken off and put in very sandy light mould, 
in small pots. I recommend placing the cuttings 
close to the sides of the pots as this will materially 
accelerate their rooting. They should then be 
carefully watered, and the pots plunged in decayed 
tan or sawdust in a frame not lower than 75 degs. 
and occasionally, from the influence of the sun, may 
be raised as high as 90 degs. The cuttings should be 
daily shaded, if the sun be too powerful for them, and 
sprinkled over once or twice a day with water. If 
they be managed in a proper manner, and daily 
attended to, forty-nine out of fifty cuttings will in a 
few days strike root. I would recommend this plan 
to those who require but few of each kind, as they 
make much better plants than those obtained by 
dividing the old roots, and I have generally remarked 
that the flowers were much finer.”— A. H. 
Now, can any one lay down instructions that are 
more clear, and more suitable to the requirements of 
the small plant grower of the present day than these ? 
Another extract from the same paper, but which is 
too long for insertion here, gives the following as being 
a “ Genial compost for fibrous-rooted perennial 
herbaceous plants of the open ground — 
“ Hazel-loam earth from the richest pasture 
ground ; bog-soil from meadows or other low lands; 
hot-bed stable manure, fully rotted down; and finest 
white sand from the deepest pit—mixing them in 
equal quantities. On first putting the above together, 
apply bullock’s or other blood in the proportion of one 
gallon to the quantity of compost to be contained in 
two wheel-barrows of the common size.” 
Then, following this elaborate formula, is a descrip, 
tion of the course of ripening the compost, which 
takes a long time. 
Hazel-loam comes in for quite a treatise, describing 
its many valuable qualities ; and the extract takes up 
the subject of soils and composts in the clearest and 
most practical manner. The Article is from the pen 
of Mr. Thos. Haynes, of Oundle, Northamptonshire. 
Another periodical of the same date also contains a 
most practical article on “ Soils,” going fully into the 
natures of loam, peat, bog-earth, and heath-soil.— 
Authentes. 
VITALITY OF SEEDS. 
“ B. N. T.” (p. 366) will find the information he 
requires, and more on the same subject, in Mr. 
Burbidge’s work on “ Cultivated Plants.” According 
to the table printed on p. 36, Beet seeds preserve their 
vitality five years ; Cabbages, five years ; Carrots, four 
years; Turnips, five years; Onions, two to three 
years ; Leeks, two years; Parsnips, one year; Radishes, 
five years ; Lettuce, five years; and Parsley, three 
years.— B. C. P. 
—— 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
Books. — Scipio. —Sutherland’s Hardy Herbaceous and 
Alpine Plants (Blackwood k Sons).— I. T. B. —Niven’s 
edition of Jlaund’s Botanic Garden is worth about £12 12s. 
We do not know the value of the other. 
Boiler. — B. O .—The manufacturers are Messrs. C. P. 
Kinnell & Co., 31, Bankside, S.E. 
Nicotine Soap. — Practical. —We have not used it our 
selves, but some of our correspondents have spoken highly of 
it as an insecticide. Any dealer in horticultural sundries can 
supply you. 
Notice to Leave.— H. H. C.— The rule with regard to 
head gardeners is a month’s notice on either side, but if you 
are paid weekly and have no agreement, you can only legally 
claim a week’s notice. 
Compass Plant. — A Header. —We should have added the 
name last week—it is Silphium laciniatum. 
Names op Plants. — C. Broivn. —Libonia floribunda, a 
good winter blooming plant.— Lady D .—The old Sparmannia 
africana.—A".—Phajus maculatus.— It. H. F. —1. Selaginella 
Willdenovii. 2. Adiantum hispidulum. 3. Polypodium plu- 
mosum. 4. Doodia media. 5. Pteris cretiea lineata. 6. Pteris 
argyrea. 
Importing Orchids.— A Constant Header. —The best 
time to get African Orchids over is in the autumn or spring. 
There is yet plenty of time if you give instructions imme¬ 
diately. No preparation of the plants is necessary. Simply 
place the plants in cases as collected with as little packing 
material around them as possible, but carefully secure them so 
that they will not knock about on the journey. Raising 
Orchids from seeds is a very slow process. Make' up pans of 
peat and sphagnum in about equal parts for each kind; sow 
the seeds on the top, and keep them moist and shaded. Some 
of the seeds will not germinate under twelve months. 
Utricularia Montana. — Young Gardener. —It is not an 
Orchid, though often seen growing in collections of those 
plants. It is a native of New Grenada, and should be grown 
in a basket, in fibrous peat and sphagnum, suspended from the 
roof ; and it likes plenty of water. 
Epiphtllum truncatum.— J. J. B.— Tour opponent 
wins. There are a dozen and a half or more varieties in 
cultivation. 
Planting.— Foreman.— At 10 ft. apart, 435 trees to the 
acre. 
Vines. — J/. U .—If the Vine has reached the top of the 
house you should cut it back 12 ins. or 18 ins., or further than 
that if'the wood is not ripe. The leading shoot then becomes 
the leader, and that yon can either stop when it gets to the 
top or allow it to grow longer, according as there is room for 
it. The golden rule to heap in mind Lithe more leaves and 
shoots developed the more roots are produced, but you should 
be careful to avoid overcrowding. 
Hones. — Capt. C. —The Tam o’ Shanter Hone is one of the 
best we have used. You will find the maker’s name and 
address in our advertising columns. 
Communications Received. —I. S.B.—J. C.— P. A. P.— 
G. P. W—J. K.— G. F — C. M—W. & J. B— M. D—C. W.— 
W. C.—P. McC.—R. D—Tertius—D. W—W. B—R. A— 
J. A.—B. P.—P. McC—R. G—C. W.—T. C.—E. M.-J. M- 
W. P. R— J. C—B. L—J. A—E. W. B.—G. T. M.-W. J. I. 
—M. T.—C. H.—T. H. S. (next week). 
-— ' - - 
Trade Catalogues Received. 
Max Deegen, Jr.. Kostriz, Thuringia.—Pompon, Fancy, 
Show and Single Dahlias. 
H. Elliott. Springfield Nursery, St. Helier’s, Jersey.— 
Choice Chrysanthemums. 
— s— ■ -~~b —- 
LONDON SEED TRADE, 
February 25th , 1SS5. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, of 152, Houndsditeh, and 
39, Seed Market, Mark Lane, report a moderate trade 
for Red Clover at unchanged rates. Medium quality. 
White Clovers are slightly cheaper; Alsike and 
Trefoil unchanged. French, Italian, and Perennial 
Rye Grass are in good request. Tares, Bird Seeds 
and Blue Peas are selling at rates current last week. 
