April 30, 1904, 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
365 
although the tube is really very short. The segments reflex 
after the style of a Cyclamen, as the name implies, and com¬ 
pletely hide the short tube. We have this feature, however, 
in N. triandrusi, though in structure that' does not at all m 
semble this miniature trumpet Daffodil, The trumpet is 
cvlindrical and usually only very slightly crenate at the' apex, 
so that it appears sometimes as if snipped or cut short. It. 
has a tendency, however, like' all the rest that resemble it ini 
thisi respect, to become more deeply cut and also revolute afl 
the mouth. This may refer* to newly imported specimens, or 
possibly occasionally to plants raised from seed. 
The species is perfectly hardy, but as it often, comes into 
bloom in February in, mild winters, the flowers are liable to bei 
injured by snowstorms, wind or sharp frosts, That, of course, 
applies to any class of plants that conre into, bloom during our 
winter months, and should not hinder - anyone from undertak¬ 
ing its cultivation on the chance of getting it good three or" 
four yeare out of five. 
Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith. 
This is one of the prettiest and best kept of the smaller 
parks under the control of the London County Council. On 
a bright spring day recently, when old King Sol was in, every 
corner, extra, profuse (a rare exception nowadays!) in the 
distribution of his ever-welcome and vivifying rays, a stroll 
in this haven, of peace—but little disturbed, and then only (and 
this assuredly was not a disturbance!) by the glorious carol¬ 
ling of the feathered songsters uplifting their matchless 
anthems heavenwards.—seemed to bring new life to one. What 
a freshness, brightnessi, and newly-awakened interest was pre¬ 
sented by the good variety of budding trees and shrubs ; 
how refreshing to the eye those well-kept Apple green, lawns! 
And, with further reference to, the green sward, in places this 
was gemmed and -sparkled with many-coloured colonies of 
Crocus spread over it like some floral sheet, of beauty. Daffo¬ 
dils, ere these lines see the light, will, too, present visions of 
floral beauty and attraction,. On the rockery the light purple 
clusters of flowers borne by -that beautiful Winter Heath (Erica, 
came®.) reminded u» what a good thing it is for s-uch a posi¬ 
tion, and then our gaze is compelled to be fixed on the avenue 
of Elms-—a well known, and fine feature here-—by noting that 
some of the monarchs were being denuded of their limbs—a. 
piece of very necessary tree surgery—by reason of damage 
done thereto by wind and storms; and then, -the writer's 
thoughts go back to his schoolboy days-, in the indeed long, 
long ago, when this park was (when in private hands) called 
Scott’s Park after the family who then lived there, for there 
actually is the same old antiquated greenhouse attached toi 
the library (formerly a private residence). This (the green¬ 
house) sadly wants replacing by a building embodying modern 
ideas as to construction. Our up-to-date L.C.C. should see to 
this. Here, though, one was pleased to see a good and 
attractive display of flowers—Hyacinths, Narcissi, etc., em¬ 
bowered in, a, surrounding greenery of Palms and other green 
subject®. In, a, modern structure a much finer effect would 
necessarily have been, produced. 
The park is well managed by the able superintendent, Mr. 
W. B. Gingell. J, B. 
Chiswick. 
Potatos. 
Without doubt the whole of the Potato, plantings will by 
ns time have been finished, and in all probability the know- 
e ge that there is to be a Potato show in the autumn ha,si 
m uced gardeners to, pay mo-re attention, to their seed, which 
m no-t a few instances, will have been entirely new, and pos¬ 
sibly expensive. 
Being slightly connected with the N.P.S., I have for some 
® , )eerL bus 7 getting the ground in trim for testing 
pwar s, of 100 varieties, including Eldorado, Northern Star, 
Gold Coin, Diamond, Snowflower, Warrior, and many other 
new sorts, including some coloured varieties, which must be 
grown if exhibition is the object aimed at. 
Coloured Potatos are a, feature of all cottager shows, and 
having been, constantly asked for something to replace the old 
Russets, Mr. Bresse-, Purple Perfection, etc., I have en¬ 
deavoured to collect a. number of new or little-known sorts 
among Kentish cottagers. 
The labour attached to such -trials is necessarily great, espe¬ 
cially when, the whole of the furrows are hand-made, with 
leaf, lime and soot and artificial manures dusted under and 
above the sets, and nearly one-third of an acre planted. The 
man in the street might naturally imagine th ait the greatly- 
talked-of Potatos will necessarily produce the finest crops, 
but, I fully expect to see some crushing defeats among these 
puffed-up varieties, for it so happened as recently as last 
season, and will do again. 
Men in obscure corners of Britain and America have for 
years been working upon the noble tuber, and I am fortunate 
enough to hold some results of their work. 
One variety from the latter country -has already bounded 
into the public eye, and being, perhaps, more familiar with it 
than anyone on this sided do not hesitate to say that it will 
gain, a strong hold among those who aim a,t quality. Far too. 
much fuss- ha,s been made about disease-resisting Potato®, some 
of which show a deqided falling off in eating value. 
The coming market, Potato must be an advance as a cooker, 
and her serene highness the cook will take small heed if the 
eye® are not actually on the surface, nor does she mind if 
the tubers are twixt between a, kidney and a round ; indeed, 
the thick oblong Potato suits her excellently. 
A grand and lordly cognomen attached to a Potato will not 
influence -the kitchanmaid’s eye, and she is less- particular 
about, the colour than what is generally claimed. It is a sight 
at the present time to hear her order from the shopman : “ Let 
me have those pink ones, not, those beastly so-called whites, 
which cook as black a,si ink.” Ah! no, cook and consumer 
know what they want, and, depend upon it, some of the high- 
priced, highly-boomed sorts will get the go-by when the cook! 
comes to test, them. 
It is quite prohab-lei that -the boom will last for another 
season or two; in fact, just, as long as buyers of new seedlings 
can be found, hut others, like myself, will become suspicions! 
when they start, making comparisons of new and older varieties. 
Already I gaze doubtfully upon some of the noveltiesi, think¬ 
ing I have seen their like before, hut time will tell. A. 
Celery for Exhibition. 
Among all the crops cultivated in the kitchen garden there 
isi none of 'higher importance than the above, and no pains 
should be spared to have it in the- highest, state of perfection. 
At all our early and late autumn shows Celery forms one of 
the most important and attractive items in any collection, of 
vegetables when staged at its best. I have always held that 
this is- one o-f the feiw vegetables that can hardly be grown too 
large, providing, of course, it is perfect in all other respects. 
The blanching should always be thorough, quite free from any 
blemish, no sign of running to flower, and the stalks perfectly 
solid. One of the chief items in connection with successful 
cultivation is the attention the young plants receive in the 
early stages of their growth. Once allow the seedlings to be¬ 
come excessively diy, either in the store pots or after pricking 
out, and thei ultimate results will b-e fatal. Indeed, no check of 
any kind should be permitted from the time the seedlings 
appear above ground till the blanching is completed. The 
earliest sowing should now be pricked off into boxes, grown 
away in a genial temperature, and be shortly removed to a, 
cold frame for a few days 1 , after which finally harden them off 
in the open before planting. 
Preparing the Trenches. —This should always he done some 
time previous to being required, a,si by exposing the subsoil 
taken from the bottom to the influence of the variable weather 
