THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 1, 1894. 
8 
FLORICULTURE. 
FUCHSIAS AT TROWBRIDGE. 
The West of England Fuchsia Growers had a field 
day at Trowbridge, on the 22nd inst., and it was on 
the occasion of the forty-fifth annual exhibition of 
the Trowbridge Horticultural Society. L is not 
given to many Horticultural Societies to continue an 
Exhibition uninterruptedly for such a length of time, 
and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. James Huntley, an 
indefatigable worker, has held this post for thirty-one 
years. The field close by the railway station at 
Trowbridge, is now handed over to the Horticultural 
Society, in which to hold flower shows in the future, 
and the Committee have just spent the sum of £300, 
in properly fencing it, etc., etc. The Trowbridge 
people appear to have the power of squaring the 
clerk of the weather, for they had the advantage of a 
very fine day, a fine show, and an immense company, 
and they will be able to add something to the satis¬ 
factory nest-egg they possess in the form of a good 
reserve fund in the bank. 
But I am to write about Fuchsias, and there they 
were on the above date occupying the same position 
in the tent they have for years ; splendid plants, 
admirably grown and bloomed, perfect in shape, and 
altogether beyond what is seen elsewhere ; specimens 
eight to ten feet in height. It is sometimes said—a 
good deal is written in praise of the West of England 
Fuchsias ; why are they not brought to some London 
Exhibition ? In the first place there is no London 
Exhibition during the month of August, when the 
Fuchsias are at their best, where they could be 
shown ; and in the second place, if there was, the 
plants would have to be brought by road, a distance 
of some one-hundred miles, for no railway van which 
could take them, would pass under the bridges which 
span the railways. Mr. Lye, will sometimes send 
his plants to Bath, from Market Lavington, a 
distance of thirty miles, and in order to get a dozen 
or so of plants in a van, the branches have to be tied 
quite closely, which gives to the plants a somewhat 
severe cone-shape ; but it also prevents any bruising 
of the branches, where the plants are sent by road, 
and therefore reducing any injury to the flowers to a 
minimum. What is seen when one looks at these 
plants is a dense cone-shaped mass of foliage, with¬ 
out any stem or wood of branch being exposed, and 
the branches are literally covered with blossoms ; 
the men do not believe in starving these plants, they 
grow them freely, produce grand foliage and masses 
of splendid flowers. 
The first prize for six plants is £3, and though, as 
Fuchsia prizes go, this is a liberal amount, yet as 
an attraction and as first-class objects of culture, 
they are worth more. The winner on this occasion 
was Mr. George Tucker, gardener to Major W. P. 
Clark, Trowbridge, who had of dark varieties Doel's 
Favourite, a very popular exhibition, variety, locally 
raised some years ago, and greatly esteemed as a 
local exhibition variety, being of free growth and 
profuse of bloom ; Charming (Lye), and Final (Lye) ; 
and of light varieties Gustave Dore, scarlet tubes 
and sepals, and double white corolla ; Arabella, an 
old and favourite exhibition variety, and Harriet 
Lye (Lye). Mr. James Lye, gardener to the Hon. 
Mr. Hay, Clyffe Hall, Market Lavington, with of 
dark varieties Doel’s Favourite. Elegance (Lye) 
and Rural (Lye) ; and of light varieties Louise 
Balfour, Western Beauty, and Annie Earle all 
raised by himself. Mr. Lye’s plants were finely 
grown but not quite fully in flower, they required 
another week or ten days to have them in perfection. 
A third prize collection came from Mr. Thos. 
Edwards, gardener to J. D. Knight, Esq., Trow¬ 
bridge—I think a new local exhibitor. 
With four specimens Mr. G. Tucker was again 
first, though Mr. Lye ran him very close. The former 
had Final and Charming, darks; Marginata, also a 
somewhat old and favourite exhibition variety, a 
good grower, and very free ; and Arabella, light. 
Mr. Lye had Abundance (Lye), and Thomas King 
(Lye), dark ; Mrs. Bright (Lye), and Mrs. Rundell, 
light. 
There are also classes for Fuchsias grown and 
shown by working men who are not gardeners, 
living within two miles of Trowbridge. With four 
varieties, James Sartain, Hitperton Marsh, was first, 
and Samuel Parsons, Trowbridge, second, both with 
well-grown and flowered plants of good size, much 
better than one sees at ordinary exhibitions. The 
best specimen came from S. Parsons, J. Sartain 
being second.— R. D. 
CHINESE VEGETABLES. 
Several of the plants cultivated in China as vege¬ 
tables have found their way into British and 
Continental gardens, but with us they are grown in 
many cases for the sake of experiment, for ornament, 
or out of mere curiosity. The larger number of them 
are, however, mostly confined to botanical gardens. 
Several of them are cultivated as vegetables in 
America, but doubtless a large number of them 
were originally introduced by the Chinese gardeners 
who are plentiful in various parts of the country. 
Several of the large and respectable seed houses do, 
however, offer a number of them by way of novel¬ 
ties. Mr. L. H. Bailey, Professor of Horticulture 
at the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment 
Station, has been studying these Chinese vegetables 
for the past five years and gives the results of his 
researches in Bulletin 67. 
Cabbages and Mustards. 
He says that the Pe-Tsai or Chinese Cabbage is 
no longer a novelty in America, but we are surprised 
that he describes it under the name of Brassica Pe- 
Tsai. In this country it is referred to B. campestris, 
the original and wild form of the Turnip, to the 
foliage of which it bears no small resemblance. It 
is a pity to give a new botanical name to a garden 
plant, seeing that long continued selection and 
cultivation has such an effect in modifying the form 
and general appearance of the wild originals. The 
various forms or varieties of Turnips, including the 
Swede and Rape in this country, show a wide range 
of modification from the wild B campestris, which 
has no tuber. The Chinese Cabbage is an annual, 
and when at its best reminds one of a large Cos 
Lettuce. Like the Turnip, it requires a cool and 
moist soil to encourage its best development; on 
the contrary when sown in hot and dry sandy or 
gravelly soils, or at an unfavourable season, it is 
apt to run to seed very quickly. Like the Lettuce it 
must be cut and used when at its best, otherwise it 
will soon become useless. Nor must the plants be 
crowded in the seed beds, otherwise the same 
unfavourable results will accrue, In America, June, 
July, and August are the best months during which 
to sow it, and in the south of England, late sowing 
should be adopted if the loose head in its best con- 
tion is desired, so that the inner leaves may get 
blanched, crisp and tender. To further this object 
the leaves should have a tie of matting placed round 
them a short time previous to their being fit for use. 
The leaves are sweeter than those of the ordinary 
Cabbage and are used in the same way, or may be 
eaten uncooked much in the same way as Lettuce. 
Quite another kind of Cabbage is the Pak-Choi 
(Brassica chinensis) grown by the Chinese and used 
as greens, which the name in fact implies The 
leaves have long, fleshy, silvery white stalks, and 
spread from the crown of the tuberous rootstock 
like those of a Turnip, while the root itself is 
shaped like the Beet. The fleshy stalks may be 
used like Seakale or Asparagus. The California 
Peppergrass (Brassica japonica) has long, narrow 
and finely-cut leaves with the flavour of the 
ordinary Cress, and appears intermediate between 
the Mustard and Cress. The leaves are used as an 
ingredient in salads to which they impart a fine 
flavour, and are excellent for garnishing on account 
of their finely-cut and crumpled appearance. The 
flavour is improved by covering the plants with 
boxes a few days previous to use so as to blanch 
the leaves. Growth is very rapid so that several 
sowings should be made during the course of the 
season. This vegetable is widely cultivated in 
America, and has several varieties differing much in 
the same way as our Parsley does. They are sown 
in the autumn and used in the winter as required. 
The plant does not seem to be known in this 
country. 
The Chinese Mustard (Brassica juncea or B. 
rugosa, according to different authors) is a rank and 
coarse growing species with strongly wrinkled leaves. 
The latter become very tender when boiled, and 
have an agreeable, slightly pungent flavour. The 
best leaves are obtainable in spring and autumn 
when the weather is cool and the soil moist. Being 
perfectly hardy, it should be sown in autumn for winter 
and spring use. It also submits readily to forcing 
and is highly esteemed in America as a salad plant, 
when various other kinds are difficult to get. In a wild 
state it is a native of temperate and tropical Asia, 
but it is widely cultivated in the Old World, but par¬ 
ticularly in Asia. The tuberous-rooted Chinese 
Mustard, (Brassica napiformis) has thin, bluish 
leaves and a tuberous root like a conical Turnip 
about 3 in. or 4 in. in diameter. It is a native of 
China and is used by the Chinese as a winter 
vegetable. The root has the flavour and texture of 
a Turnip. 
M. L H.Bailey,discusses the affinity of all the above 
kinds and, contrary to the authorities at Kew, 
considers that they belong to the Mustard section of 
Brassica rather than to the Cabbage section which 
includes the Turnip (Brassica campestris). The 
flowers are those of the Mustards. But we cannot 
altogether agree with the writer that the foliage is 
much to go by, for we find both glaucous and green 
leaves in the common Cabbage, (Brassica oleracea), 
and in the Turnip (B. campestris), for has not the 
Swedish Turnip as blue or glaucous leaves as early 
Battersea Cabbage, Cauliflower and Tree Kale, 
while all white and yellow Turnips as well as the 
Curled Kales have green leaves. 
Melons and Gourds. 
The Chinese Preserving Melon (Benincasa cerifera) 
was introduced to the United States about two years 
ago, and though largely cultivated in China and 
India, it is not much relished as yet in America. 
The fruit is round or oblong, pale green, hairy and 
covered witha thin film of whitewax. Theflesh is solid 
and white and when made into sweet pickles or pre¬ 
serves it is very agreeable and desirable. The young 
fruit of La-kwa (Momordica Charantia) is cut in 
half by the Chinese, the seeds taken out and then 
put in a sauce of vinegar, olive oil, ginger, garlic, 
salt and allspice. The usual custom is to add mango, 
carrot, cabbage, and cucumber. The question may 
well be asked where the flavour of the La-kwa may 
be amongst so many things. The young fruits of 
Sua-kwa (Luffa cylindrica) are used by the Chinese 
sliced like Cucumbers, and put in soups or cooked 
like the Squash. The SiDg-kwa (Luffa acutangula) is 
used in the same way as the previous species, and 
has an angled and club-shaped fruit, whereas in the 
previous one it is cylindrical. 
Other subjects used as vegetables. 
TheGa-lon-ow or Chinese Pea, is merely an ancient 
and but little improved form of the common garden 
Pea (Pisum sativum.) The pod is knotty or jointed, 
in proportion to the number of seeds in it ; the seeds 
when ripe vary from white to pale and dark brown, 
and the flowers also vary from white to purple. In all 
this we have much evidence of the ordinary, unim¬ 
proved field Pea as grown in this country. Tou-kok or 
Chinese Bean (Dolichos sesquipedalis), is a native of 
South America, but is now widely cultivated in 
various warm countries much in the same way as 
Scarlet Runners are in this country. It requires a 
longer season and a warmer climate to bring it to 
perfection than we possess, for in America it ripens 
or comes into use in October. There are several 
varieties varying in the length of the pod from 1J ft. 
to 3 ft., the Chinese Long-pod attaining the lattter 
length. In the warmer parts of America it is well 
worth growing. 
The young plants of Hon-toi-moi(Amarantus gange- 
ticus), are used as greens by the Chinese, who profess 
to have a great likirjg for them. The plant is widely 
cultivated in eastern countries. Yon-soi is believed 
to be identical with the Coriander (Coriandrum 
sativum) of our gardens, so that it can hardly be con¬ 
sidered a novelty. The leaves are a little more finely 
cut and the flowers slightly different in appearance, 
but Mr. W. B. Hemsley, in his flora of China, con¬ 
siders the two to be identical. The Chinese use the 
leaves as a condiment. 
A WHITE PERPETUAL STOCK. 
A very beautiful white Stock for growing in pots is 
a variety named Princess Alice, which Mr. Prinsep 
grows freely for decorative purposes at Buxted Park. 
It throws a fairly long spike of flowers, which are as 
fully double as a good Balsam, pure white, and most 
delicately scented. For associating with other plants 
in pots in floral decorations it is more elegant than 
the shorter, denser spiked varieties we like to see 
out-of-doors, and its odour is not so overpowering in 
a room, an advantage which many will appreciate. 
Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs, by 
A. D. Webster. A valuable guide to planters of beautiful 
trees and shrubs for the adornment of parks and gardens. 
Price, 3s ; post free, 3s. 3d. Publisher, Gardening World, 
1, Clement’s Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
