834 
THE GARDENING WORLD , 
October 15, 1904. 
Late 'Strawberries. —A second crop of excellent Straw¬ 
berries has just been gathered at Reading. Some wild Straw¬ 
berries were gathered at Halwill on the 6th inst. The berries 
were of large size and quite ripe. 
* * -54- 
Apples for Pigs. —Fallen Apples are practically unsaleable 
this year owing to their abundance. It is no uncommon sight 
in the Eastern Counties to see pigs turned out in the orchards 
to consume the fallen fruit. 
■54 * * 
The Gentle Art. —“ Gardeners ought to be the best men 
in the world ” was the gentle flattery with which the Countess 
of Harrowby opened a horticultural show at Stafford. In the 
course of a -much-applauded speech she said that the way to 
reform the drunkard, the wife-beater, and the criminal was to 
persuade them to take an absorbing interest in gardening. 
Fruit Show in Dublin. —The fruit show which the Depart¬ 
ment -of Agriculture are about to hold at Ballsbridge opens 
on the 19th inst., and will be continued on the 20th. The 
Department’s officials have undertaken to stage fruit for ex¬ 
hibitors who cannot themselves attend at Ballsbridge, provided 
it is received not later than the 18th inst. Entries close on 
the 10th inst. A conference will be held on the second day of 
the show, at which an address will be delivered by the vice- 
president. 
X U. 46 * 
Bananas and British Apples. —There is a widespread com¬ 
plaint that growers -can. only get a- small price for their Apples, 
while the retailers are charging very high prices. A Sussex 
grower declares that he is only getting Is. per bushel for his 
Apples, while the retailers are charging 12s. to 19s. for the same 
amount. Surely this is short-sighted policy. The retailers 
say that foreign fruit, such as Bananas, are selling at such low 
prices that they must recoup themselves by keeping up the price 
of home-grown produce. 
54 -34 -54- 
Potato Disease in Lincoln.— The blight amongst the Potatos 
is spreading in the marshes around Long Sutton, Lincolnshire. 
One farmer who sent away nearly 100 tons has just received 
his first market return, and, after paying expenses, all he ob¬ 
tained was £1 per ton. The work of raising the tubers, which 
has just commenced, is giving employment to a large number 
of hands, and many Irishmen are employed. On one farm the 
Irishmen came out on strike for 26s. instead of 25s. per acre, 
. ii • 1 _A _Ll_ 1 T1-1 hlr -foil 
and, not obtaining their demand, they left work. 
u iiu(j ___ j _ In the fen 
districts women and children are also being employed Potato 
picking. Up-to-Date is averaging about six tons to the acre 
where it is free from disease. 
* -54 * 
Under and Over Ripening of Potatos. —While methods of 
cultivation are responsible for the success or otherwise of 
Potatos, the fact must not be overlooked that climate alone 
exercises a powerful influence. In the south of England, with 
its presumed sunny, warm, and otherwise congenial climate, one 
may see fields of Potatos- that evidently have not- long com- 
me need to make good growth above the soil at the beginning of 
July During dry summers whole fields, quite late m the 
season, may be seen presenting a puny and stunted appearance. 
Heat and drought are evidently responsible for this the 
Potato is naturally a shallow rooting plant, and soon becomes 
affected by drought. Nor must it be planted deeply, other^ 
wise the resultant crop of tubers will be light We have seen 
a planting of Sharpe’s Victor make its growth and die down 
without having been favoured with a shower. The tubers were 
puny and not one of them fit for table use. The belief is now 
iainin<? ground that Potatos become too much ripened m the 
south of England to make good seed. Northern growers com¬ 
plain that seed obtained from English sources only make weak 
arowth compared with plantings of northern-grown seed This 
miaht be overcome in the south by lifting Potatos intended for 
s-ed before the tubers are really ripe. During August and Sep¬ 
tember many a glorious field of Potatos may be seen m the full 
-1” „r oTVo'vth and bloom in the North The move mutable 
climatic conditions must he held responsive for this thriving 
state of the noble tuber. 
Change of Address. —Mr. George Springthorpe, the maker of 
Springtliorpe’s Patent Tubes for exhibiting Chrysanthemums, 
has removed from West Leigh Nursery, Leicester, to “ May- 
croft,” St. Albans Road, Kingston-on-Thames. 
* * * 
L’Entente Cordiale. —As we previously announced, the 
French contrived to execute presentments of the King and 
Queen, together with royal coronets, on Apples. The variety 
was Peasgood’s Nonsuch, and the fruits have just been sold 
at Covent Garden at high prices. These figures were meant to 
emphasise the good relations existing between the two countries. 
& 
Wild Raspberries. —In open woods, or situations not over¬ 
hung by trees, yet shaded from the full force of the sun, good 
pickings of wild Raspberries were obtainable till near or quite 
the end of September. This was not a result of second growth, 
but was simply a continuation of tie main or general crop. 
Wild Raspberries are much more worth gathering in Scotland 
than in the drier climate of the south. 
■54 54 54 
The Cloudberry. —“ Before the snow has scarcely melted, the 
Cloudberry (Rubus Chamaemorus) sends’out its white blossoms, 
and thereafter hangs on every pendent twig a cloud of large 
■orange-coloured berries.” The above story is ouite new to us. 
and we should counsel the writer to visit the Cloudberry in its 
native home. The flowering stems are upright, unbranched, 
and more often under than over 6 in. in height. It bears only 
a single large white blossom, followed hv a large orange-yellow 
fruit. Where, then, does the cloud of berries on every pendent 
twig come in ? The stem is herbaceous, and arises from a creep¬ 
ing underground stbm. 
° 54 54 54 
Poison on Grapes. —Many curious cases of sickness have 
occurred in Geneva, Lausanne, and other Swiss towns during 
the last fortnight. Inquiries showed that in each case the 
victim had eaten of Grapes, and it has now been ascertained 
that the fruit had been sprayed while growing to keep away 
mildew and other Vine maladies. The medical authorities have 
in consequence issued a public warning that all Grapes show¬ 
ing the blue marks- uf cooper or other chemical treatment are 
not fit to be eaten until they have been washed in dilute acid, 
washing in plain water being ineffectual to remove the poison. 
54 54 54 
Blackberries on Hampstead Heath. —The Blackberries on 
Hampstead Heath never get black- th-ew are t-eo near Jondo-n. 
Barely has the immature green berrv put on a timid blush when 
a ware of children, big and little, clean and dirty, breaks oven - 
the heath, and surges: round the hushes; with shouts o-f jov. Some 
are armed wiMi 1 reaper bags, some carry their spoil home in hand¬ 
kerchiefs or th°ir nearest- anproiach to' handkerchiefs, and some 
who have not the patience to wait for Blackberry pie eat as they 
find, with stained lips and scratched fingers. Blackberrv <-eekers 
are not particular a.s to colour, and R"ev dn-u’t mind much abord 
ta-ste 1 ; as long as they can find real Blackberries growing or real 
bushes they are satisfied. 
54 54 54 
Trees for Piccadilly Circus Refused. —At a meeting of the 
Council of the City -of Westminster, on the 6th inst., a letter 
was read from Councillor Van R-a-alte stating that he was 
desirous of presenting for the council’s acceptance a sufficient 
number of trees to plant around the ornamental fountain at 
Piccadilly Circus. The committee recommended, however. 
“ That the best thanks of the council he given to Councillor 
Van R.aalte for his offer, and that he be informed that the 
council regard the- proposed site as unsuitable for the planting 
of trees owing to the narrowness of the footway surrounding the 
fountain and to the great amount of pedestrian and vehicular 
traffic which constantly passes the site.” The recommendation 
was agreed to. 
54 54 54 
The Big Vine at Hampton Court. —The famous old Vine 
at Hampton Court Palace is being shorn of its 130th annual 
harvest. The Grapes are of magnificent quality, owing to the 
judicious thinning out to which the hoary Vine was subjected 
in the spring. Originally there were about 2,000 bunches, but 
of these only -about 400 were allowed to mature, and the pick 
of these will go to His Majesty’s table. When left entirely to 
itself, the Vine has been known to produce as many as 2,200 
bunches in a year. Little is ever done to it by way of cultiva¬ 
tion beyond pruning and the digging in of manure at its roots. 
It is the Black Hamburg variety, and was originally taken as 
a, slip from the Vinery of the Valentines Park estate, near 
Ilford, now the property of Mrs. Ingleby. 
