August 4, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
777 
strongly rooted, it certainly retards or breaks them. 
When plants—bedding plants—are growing well and 
are of moderate dimensions a gentle shower through 
a medium-rosed can in dry weather cannot be other 
than helpful. The soil cakes after the watering so 
that it is necessary to run a hoe through the surface. 
What is not good is heavy deluges of very cold 
water. Rain falls softly and is generally very mild. 
Rain water by the bye is at all times preferable. 
Perhaps J. W. has been using hard water, or water 
not quite free from some deleterious agent. If so, 
he should make provision for a supply of that which 
falls from the clouds, by placing a barrel or an 
underground tank in some convenient spot, and have 
a pipe conducted to it. 
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BEGONIA GLOIRE DE LORRAINE. 
My experience with this beautiful Begonia is similar 
to that of Mr. Mayne's. After reading in the Gar¬ 
dening World that they could be propagated from 
leaves, I tried several with the result that they all 
rooted, but only one leaf has thrown up a shoot. I 
can increase them readily from cuttings. I herewith 
enclose a photograph showing the value of this plant 
for a basket. The photograph was taken at the 
beginning of March. It had then been flowering 
since last October, and is now still in flower. The 
plant is growing in a 32-sized pot, and was about 
2 ft. in diameter. I have other plants which have 
been flowering in 48-sized pots during the whole of 
that time, so I think it is a summer as well as a 
winter flowering plant.— H. Peerless. 
CARTERS’ TRIALS AT MORTLAKE. 
Culinary Peas. 
A trial of 1,300 rows of Culinary Peas, embracing 
some scores of varieties (we might say hundreds) 
should surely afford a visitor ample means of noting 
what is really meritorious. Such a trial is proof 
positive of what qualities a variety really does 
possess, and affords ocular demonstration in all de¬ 
batable points. It would be useless to mention 
any but the newer and finer varieties of this trial, 
which is yearly conducted by the Holborn Royal 
Seed firm of Messrs. J. Carter & Co., at their grounds, 
Mortlake, Surrey. 
The dwarf but free podding American Wonder still 
takes one's eye (and mouth) as one of the best dwarf 
earlies. Carters' Diamond is a splendid dwarf early 
Pea which bears its neat and well-filled pods freely. 
The flavour of the Pea is spoken of in high terms, and 
seeing this variety as we did some weeks ago, we 
should say it is destined to rank as one of our garden 
favourites. It is earlier than Early White Gem or 
Little Gem, and only attains from 15 in. to 18 in. in 
height. William I. is known to every gardener as 
a first-rate early Pea. It is liberally grown both in 
the north, east, south, and west of the Kingdom. 
English Wonder is a first early, with dark green, 
firm pods. For a good forcing variety, Carters’ 
Forcing has already found a place. It was finely 
shown at the Temple Show in May. Carters' 
Early Daisy, earlier than Carters’ Daisy, but 
selected from it, and having all the latter's qualities, 
is worth noting. A sowing on the 29th of March 
yielded a crop by the second week in June. 
Carters' Daisy is certainly one of the best second 
early Peas extant, and receives its due meed of appre¬ 
ciation. The finely-formed pods are of enormous 
size, generally with eight to ten large rounded peas 
in each. The haulms are strong and robust, though 
only ft. high, and are literally laden with pods. 
The flavour is of that soft, mellow, splendid marrow¬ 
fat quality, far too seldom tasted in dishes of Peas. 
Daisy being a standard variety, no pains are spared 
to uphold or even improve upon it, and selections 
from it are continually being made. One or two of 
ihese new sorts are making satisfactory promise, and 
more will be heard of them in 1901. Carters' Day¬ 
light, an early type of Telephone, grows 2J ft. to 
3 ft. high, and is remarkable for the breadth of its 
massive pods. The peas are large and plentiful. It 
Tesulted as a cross between Carters' Lightening and 
‘Carters’ Daisy. It, therefore, combines earliness 
with the other best qualities of a Pea. Kentish 
Invicta is a good Pea ; it comes in between the first 
and second earlies. 
The old Fairbeard’s Nonpareil, used chiefly as a 
canning Pea, has small pods which are produced 
in enormous quantities. It is in use at the end of 
June. 
Carters’ Early Morn is in every way a worthy 
variety having the good qualities of the Daisy, and 
succeeds Carters' Lightening. A giant podded 
variety is Carters' Giant Serpetta. The Giant 
Edible Pea might be more of a feature in gardens. 
It is frequently found as a dish in Continental 
menus. The pods are fit for consumption in the 
raw state (or mild cooking), and are juicy and sweet. 
Alpha and Gladiator are too well known to need 
description. Carters' Re-selected G. F. Wilson, not 
yet on the market, will be well received we feel sure, 
for the G. F. Wilson variety itself has been a prime 
favourite for twenty years. The best in this old 
maincrop variety has been watched for and 
secured in this selection. Carters' Improved Omega 
is a good late Pea. 
That fine old variety, Dr. McLean, has likewise 
undergone selection, the best qualities in each year's 
plants being carefully wrought upon to the ultimate 
gain of the older type. Carters' Majestic is a variety 
of imposing character, and one we think much of. 
The pods are J ft. long, and not uncommonly contain 
ten fine peas. The Improved Danby Stratagem adds 
one more first-class sort to the list. Stratagem 
itself, which the Messrs. Carter offered in 1880, has 
long held a foremost place in the appreciation of 
good gardeners, and the Danby is nevertheless a 
distinct improvement upon this good old sort. 
Danby Stratagem has a robust haulm, grows about 
2J ft., and bears long pods which often contain ten 
full-sized peas. Another magnificent Pea is " The 
Carter," the worth of which is attested by the fact 
of its having been thought worthy to bear the name 
of so proud a house. It attains a height of from 4 ft. 
to 5 ft., and bears enormous sized pods in pairs 
from the bottom upwards. This grand variety may 
be anticipated at a near date. Prince of Wales, a 
maincrop marrowfat, retains the fine deep colour so 
much sought for by particular folks, and bears pro¬ 
fusely from top to bottom of its 3 ft. of haulm. 
Duke of Albany, Telephone Re-selected, Early Ne 
Plus Ultra, Improved Ne Plus Ultra, Carters’ 
Michaelmas, and Carters’ Delicatesse are varieties 
one only needs to mention—they cannot be done 
without so far. The latter is worthy of special 
attention. The flavour is prononnced by con¬ 
noisseurs as excellent, and it certainly is an enor¬ 
mous cropper. The variety mentioned before it, 
that is, Michaelmas, can be had still yielding a 
supply by the middle of September. 
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TORQUAY DISTRICT GARDENERS’ 
ASSOCIATION 
Had its eighth annual outing on Wednesday, July 
25th, the object being to visit BictoD, the beautiful 
seat of the Hon. Mark Rolle, who is always pleased 
to grant permission to view the lovely gardens and 
extensive grounds, especially to those interested in 
gardening, leaving Torquay by train soon after 
7 a.m. Alighting at Exeter, brakes were in readiness 
to convey the party by road, via Newton Poppleford, 
of Daffodil'fame, through Colaton Raleigh, so closely 
connected with Sir Walter Raleigh, of Potato and 
Tobacco notoriety, reaching Bicton about 12.30, 
where they spent two hours viewing the well-kept 
gardens under the guidance of Mr. Mayne, the 
gardener. 
Time would not permit of taking many notes, but 
among many other good things under glass we 
noticed a grand crop of Melons, Sutton’s Scarlet, 
each plant carrying four or five good shaped fruits, 
averaging three to five lbs. each, with another 
crop on the other side of a span house just 
swelling away, and still another crop half 
way up the trellis, and two more crops to plant 
out. The Pines were looking strong and healthy ; 
the first division had just been relieved of some 
thirty Queens, and we noticed several Smooth 
Cayennes pushing up on the other side, which we 
should say will come in well during November and 
December. 
At the end of this range a good healthy batch of 
Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. 
