October 1, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
67 
Onions. 
The bulbs should now be removed to a vinery or 
any cool dry house to harden and dry off before 
being put into their winter quarters. The question 
as to which is the most suitable place to store them 
in for the winter is one which gives rise to differences 
of opinion. I believe the most suitable place to be a 
very dry shed facing north with plenty of ventilation. 
Some gardeners recommend an open shed, but I 
prefer one that can be closed providing it has ample 
means for ventilation. It can then be closed against 
snowstorms and driving rains, which make open 
sheds so very damp. Frost does not injure Onions 
if they are dry, but if damp they do not keep so well 
after it. Some Onions have been seen this season of 
great size, and no doubt others will be seen larger at 
the late shows. Of course these large Onions are 
useful for exhibition and interesting to grow, but 
they are not so useful as those grown thicker on the 
ground and with less manure.— G. H. S. 
Seakale. 
This is a vegetable which most gardeners like to 
force as early as possible, and those who have to 
supply a large establishment know how useful are a 
few dishes of Seakale in November or December, 
when other vegetables are somewhat scarce. With 
many it is a great trouble to get the leaves off the 
plants in time to start forcing so early, but a great 
help in this direction is to take a fork now, and par¬ 
tially lift the crown just enough to break some of the 
roots ; this will be found to materially assist the 
ripening of the crowns.— G. II. S. 
New Vegetables Certificated. 
The following new varieties of vegetables were certi¬ 
ficated by the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society on Sept. 20th :— 
Runner Bean Sutton’s Prizewinner. —The pods 
of this Runner Bean are generally about 6 in. long, 
moderate in width, nearly smooth, dark green, and 
fine looking. A First-class Certificate was awarded 
it when exhibited by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, 
Reading. 
Runner Bean Hill’s Prize.— The pods in this 
instance are g in. to io in. long, of moderate width, 
deep green, and smooth or occasionally rough on the 
edges. It was exhibited by Messrs. Geo. Bunyard 
& Co., and received a First-class Certificate. 
Tomato Blenheim Orange.— The fruit of this is 
of medium size or sometimes above it, flattened on 
the top, smooth and shining, and varying from an 
amber tint often more or less suffused with orange 
on the exposed side, or where it has been ripened 
under favourable conditions as to light. The seeds 
are few, the flesh solid, of agreeable and fine flavour. 
Some stems bearing fruit as it had been grown, 
were exhibited by Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High 
Holborn, when an Award of Merit was accorded the 
variety. 
POTATOS. 
Mary Anderson ( Fletcher, Reading). —In this we 
have a white kidney with narrowly obovoid tubers, 
gradually narrowing to one end, and smooth. A 
First-class Certificate was awarded it. 
The Canon ( R. Dean, Ealing).— The tubers in 
this instance are oblong, but nearly of-equal width at 
both ends, flattened, and smooth or slightly rough. 
Like the last it is a white kidney, and received a 
First-class Certificate. 
Reading Giant ( Filler, Reading). —Tubers of 
large size, oblong, generally more or less flattened, 
and rough or netted on the surface. It may be 
described as a white kidney. A First-class Certificate 
was awarded it. 
Boston Q. Q. (IF. IF. Johnson &■ Son, Boston). — 
This is a round white, of large size, but the eyes are 
rather deep in many cases. The surface is rough or 
netted. The Q. Q. if written in full means quantity 
and quality. A First-class Certificate was awarded. 
Crawley Prizetaker (J. Cheal &■ Sons, Crawley). 
The tubers of this variety are large, oblong, some¬ 
times thickened at one end, and rough on the skin. 
It is a white kidney, and received an Award of 
Merit, 
King of the Earlies ( Ridgwell, Notts) .—Tubers 
oblong, sometimes broader at one end, and smooth 
or slightly rough. This also is a white kidney, and 
received an Award of Merit. 
White Round (Paul <&■ Son, Cheshunt).— This is of 
medium size, round and somewhat flattened, as 
exhibitors like to see it. The eyes vary in being 
deep or shallow, and the skin is rough or much 
netted and rather dark in colour. An Award of 
Merit was accorded it. 
White Russet (Ham's).—Like the last named, 
this is also a round variety, but smaller, flattened, 
very rough on the surface, and apparently of good 
quality. An Award of Merit was accorded it. 
All of the above eight varieties of Potatos had 
been grown upon trial in the gardens of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Chiswick, where they had 
been examined by the sub-committee. A considerable 
number of them had been boiled in order to test 
their quality. Three and two marks were accorded 
them, and when brought up to the Drill Hall on the 
occasion of the last meeting for the approval of the 
Fruit and Vegetable Committeee, that body accorded 
a First-class Certificate to those having three marks 
with one exception, namely, King of the Earlies; 
while those having two marks were accorded Awards 
of Merit. 
-- 
NOTES FROM BRIGHTON. 
At first sight it may appear a little incongruous to 
associate Brighton with horticulture. A closer in¬ 
spection, however, will certainly reveal floral as well 
as other beauties; although it must be admitted 
that, on the sea front at least, there is almost an entire 
absence of the former. This, to a lover of all that is 
brightest and best in nature, is somewhat depressing. 
But on inquiry, the cause at once becomes evident, 
and, although Brighton does not languish for pure 
air, clear skies, actinic rays, or demand for flora’s 
gifts, but from the palpable fact that the ozone-laden 
breezes are so strong and tempestuous at times that 
their fierceness precludes the possibility of plant re- 
sistence. This may, or may not, be taken cum grano 
salis ; but my opinion is that the wind from the sea 
is so largely surcharged with saline particles that 
Brighton’s peculiarly healthy position is probably 
due to that fact. 
Some attempts at gardening are being, and have 
been, made on the western boundaries; but the 
result is not recherche, or the effect pleasing, although 
the difficulty, due to exposure, is partly met by the 
planting of thick Euonymus hedges on the seaward 
side. The Euonymus and the Tamarisk are conse¬ 
quently the only shrubs one sees in this otherwise 
salubrious resort, and though this is, perhaps, a little 
monotonous, it only applies to the decoration of the 
front, where otherwise all is gay, fantastic and 
bizarre. Brighton enjoys many natural advantages, 
and what with a glorious sea in front, the everlasting 
hills behind, and the infinite azure in the space 
beyond, the horticulturist, amateur or professional, 
on holiday, may well drop the interminable intrica¬ 
cies of his choice or his trade, and give himself up 
for the time being to freedom, luxury and ease. 
But, in this fin de siecle age inactivity is well nigh 
impossible; therefore we are impelled to take a peep 
at those parts of the town situate beyond the im¬ 
mediate vicinity of the sea. The sky is luminous 
with sparkling sunshine, the air is sweet and balmy, 
and the joint forces of Auster and Zephyrus combine 
to lend a motion to the breeze which is redolent of 
life and health. We turn our devoted steps towards 
the old Steine, where the trees at once exhibit their 
conflict with Eolus, for their brown leaves, bare 
twigs, and generally stunted appearance and lop¬ 
sidedness are self-evidences of the torture they have 
sometimes to undergo. The occupants of the flower 
beds do also struggle with the elements ; though the 
bright colours of the Pelargoniums, the refined tints 
of the Violas, or the pensive style of the Cupheas, 
lend a charm and relieve the mind of vacancy and 
sameness. A fine fountain adorns the centre, the 
spray from which gives misty vapours, grace and 
coolness, and otherwise imparts a feature much to 
be desired. Other enclosures entice the wayfarer, 
though much formality prevails. The Pavilion 
gardens, however, possess redeeming features, and 
there is much here both of geometric and of graceful 
character to compensate for lack of design elsewhere. 
Pursuing our way up the London Road, which lies 
between the hills, and passing under a lofty viaduct, 
we find ourselves before the gates of Preston Park. 
It is well wooded, about seventy acres in extent, and 
was the bequest of Mr. Davies, who acquired it for 
the Corporation at a cost of ^70,000. Tennis, 
cricket, polo, etc., make it a popular resort ; the 
grass is well kept, the floral arrangements are in 
good taste, and the animal cravings are not forgotten. 
Begonias are used here in large quantities and with 
excellent effect; the zonals of the Henry Jacoby and 
Lucius types glow with much warmth and brilliancy 
as they can only glow in the sunny south, where 
summer seems unwilling to depart. A very artistic 
mixture consisted of Petunias of many hues, Violas 
of varied colours, Ageratums of the softest blue, and 
Lobelia Cardinalis of intensest crimson. The dwarf 
Lobelias are of course in great request; but these, 
as likewise Dactylis glomerata elegantissima, or 
Lady-glass, are only skeletons of what they were. 
Herbaceous plants, such as Dahlias, Hollyhocks, 
Sunflowers, Phloxes, play their part, and play it 
well, in the light and joysome atmosphere of the 
English " Seville." Annuals are not despised, as 
Zinnias, Asters, and Drummond's Phlox do testify. 
Of course the Euonymus is here, as it is everywhere 
in Brighton, but only the green variety dominates 
the scene. 
Thence forward, and we soon attain the pic¬ 
turesque; Preston is reached, and the pretty villas 
duly noted with their gay parterres, and beds of 
brightest hues, set in the greenest of turf and 
traversed by the tidiest of gravel paths. Besides the 
ordinary subjects, Fuchsia gracilis, Anemone japo- 
nica alba, and Begonia discolor, the everlasting 
Pelargonium never fails. It is in the borders, on the 
window sill, in the court-yard, and crammed into 
large pots, and placed beside the narrow ways, and 
stood upon the terraced fronts, until the garish glare 
becomes a mania, distorts one’s vision, and renders 
all the finer feelings sore perplexed. 
Turning abruptly upwards towards those hills of 
chalk, whose fame is far-spread, whose soil has 
probably been undisturbed for centuries, and whence 
the Corporation obtain their water supply, which 
water is said to be so good, so vivacious, that 
whiskey absolutely spoils it. Here, where the wild 
flowers blossom unperceived, the la’rks sing unheard, 
or the incipient "mutton” develops into sweet 
maturity; here we must pause, here we must take 
council afresh, and consider the mode and manner of 
our return.— C. B. G., Acton, IF. 
(To be continued.) 
■ --- 
A BLUE PEA. 
A horticultural paper has recently been indulging 
in rhapsodies about the purple podded Runner Bean 
as the wonder of the horticultural world and the 
greatest novelty of the age. Seeing that it was first 
put into commerce in 1867, having been raised at 
Wettemberg, in Germany, more than a quarter of a 
century ago, it can hardly be termed a novelty, 
though unknown to many horticulturists. Occasion¬ 
ally the blue flowered annual Pea, Lathyrus sativus, 
L. azureus, L. coeruleus. Lord Anson's Pea, etc., 
turns up. A great fuss is made about it, it is re¬ 
named, sent out at a big price, and then it subsides 
into comparative obscurity, to be restored again to 
notice after a lapse of time. 
But this Lathyrus well deserves cultivation. The 
few who grow it make a practice of sowing the seeds 
thickly in spring. A somewhat spare growth 
results, flowers are produced, but not so large in size 
and brilliant in colour as they would if better 
treated, and it disappoints, but no blame should be 
cast upon the plant, but rather upon the mode of 
cultivation. 
If any one would grow this Pea to perfection, let 
him sow the seeds now, one in a small pot and as 
soon as the plants are large enough and have become 
pot bound let them be shifted into a 48 size pot and 
kept in a cold frame during the winter, protecting 
from the effects of severe frosts; and then when 
spring comes planting each out individually in good 
soil, and give them the support of stakes. That is 
the way to grow and flower the old Lathyrus azureus 
or what under one of its new names is catalogued as 
Lathyrus coeruleus. Treated in this way it will be 
an object of great beauty all the summer, and well 
reward the cultivator for his pains. I scarcely know 
any other annual possessing its peculiar shade of 
silvery blue. A buttonhole made of a few flowers 
would prove a floral sensation in the city of London. 
There is one drawback, the flowers burn somesvhat 
on the petal edges, more so in sunny than in dull 
weather; but the flower yielding such a delightful 
hue of blue can fairly claim dispensation in the face of 
a fault it displays, but cannot remedy.— R. D. 
