1064 
the gardening world , 
December 31 1904 
It would, I am confident, add greatly to the popularity of 
zonals as winter flowers, if horticultural societies could be pre¬ 
vailed upon to provide classes for them at their shows of Chry¬ 
santhemums and other winter subjects; and, judging by the 
interest evinced by visitors to shows where we and others have 
put up honorary exhibits, competitive classes would become an 
attractive feature of such shows. 
The chief difficulty connected with exhibiting these flowers in 
the cut state is to devise a method of staging that will produce 
a pleasing and artistic effect. The blooms are so fragile in 
texture that packing for a journey is no easy. task. The easiest 
method is, undoubtedly, to tie a few trusses to a thin stick, 
making a bunch of pyramidal form. These can be firmly 
fixed in tubes packed in a case, as specimen Chrysanthemum 
blooms are jracked. These bunches, however, when staged pre¬ 
sent a very formal appearance, and do rrot show the merits of 
individual trusses. 
* What is really required is an arrangement whereby single 
trusses may be securely fixed in vessels with water without the 
po ssibility of the blooms beating each other and bruising petals 
during conveyance. Having once arrived at the show in good 
condition, artistic skill in staging is alone required to ensure a 
graceful and pleasing display, and if a few such exhibits could 
be staged at next season’s shows the zonal Pelargonium would 
advance by leaps and bounds to a foremost position among 
winter-flowering plants, becoming more popular even than it is 
to-day. Heather Bell. 
Potatos—Cooking Test. 
Some time ago it occurred to Mr. Cuthhertson, of Messrs. 
Dobbie and Company, that a cooking test of Potatos from 
different districts would be interesting’. The co-operation of 
Mr. Wm. Deal, Brooklands, Kelvedon, and Mr. H. J. Jones, 
Lewisham, London, was secured, and the trials took place at 
Messrs. Dobbie’s Seed Farm at Mark’s Tey on Thursday, 
15th inst. It was decided that tubers should be got from 
Scotland, from Lincolnshire, and from Essex. A list of 
twelve standard varieties was agreed on, and six tubers 
weighing as nearly as possible 6 ozs. each were procured. It? 
the case of novelties it was found impossible to procure some 
of them from all three centres. Messrs. W. W. Johnson and 
Son, Limited, Boston; Mr. T. A. Scarlett, Edinburgh ; Messrs. 
Wm. Davie and Company, Haddington; Mr. Wm. ‘Deal, 
Kelvedon; Mr. H. J. Jones, Lewisham; Mr. James Kerr, 
Dumfries; Messrs. J. K. King and Company, Coggeshall; and 
Messrs. Dobbie and Company, Rothesay, kindly supplied the 
required samples. 
To ensure that the tests would be judged by independent 
men, Mr. George Gordon, Y.M.H., editor of the Gardeners' 
Magazine , and vice-president of the National Potato Society; 
Mr. H. Henshaw, of Cambridge University Experimental 
Farm, and Mr. T. A. Weston, Postling, Hythe, Kent, were 
invited to judge. The cooking was done by Mr. Ireland 
(Messrs. Dobbie’s manager). Each sample of the different 
varieties was cooked in a separate pot. All were put on 
with cold water and boiled slowly on a large hot plate. They 
were steamed for a few minutes before being served. All 
were judged under numbers, the judges not knowing the 
names of the varieties they were dealing with, or the district 
from which they came, except in the case of the first lot, 
which was Up-to-Date. This was adopted as a standard, 
nine points being given to the best dish of that variety. 
Samples receiving nine points and upwards were considered 
“excellent.’ Those receiving seven and eight points 
“good.” 
The primary object of the trial was to ascertain if any 
varieties were “ excellent ” from every district, as this would 
be some guide to raisers of new sorts. The remarkable 
superiority of the cooking quality of the Essex-grown Potato 
was a feature of the trial. The Scotch samples invariably 
received fewest points. The judges suggested a trial in 
spring to find out if the Scotch tubers would then take a 
better place. They were altogether closer in the grain ana 
flesh. The points awarded were as follows : 
No. 
Variety. 
Total 
Points. 
Flavour. 
Tex¬ 
ture. 
Appear 
ance. 
1 
Up-to-Date... 
Scotch 
2 
2 
JJ jj 
Lines. 
9 
4 
3 
2 
3 
J J JJ 
Es-ex 
7 
4 
Eve rgood . 
Scotch 
2 
_ 
o 
JJ •. . . 
Lines. 
4 
6 
n • • • ... 
Essex 
6 
2 
9 
7 
Boyal Kidney 
Scotch 
3 
8 
J J ... ... 
Lines. 
5 
9 
11 • • • ... 
Essex 
7 
3 
9 
9 
10 
The Crofter... 
Scotch 
9 
4 
9 
Q 
11 
J J 
Lines. 
6 
12 
jj ... 
Essex 
. 8 
13 
The Factor .. 
Scotch 
7 
14 
J J • • • ... 
Kent 
7 
15 
King Edward VII... 
Essex 
9 
3 
3 
Q 
1(1 
Scotch 
2 
17 
Essex 
9 
3 
3 
o 
18 
Northern Star 
Scotch 
6 
9 
2 
19 
JJ 
Lines. 
2 
20 
jj 
Essex 
3 
21 
Dalmeny Hero 
Scotch 
9 
22 
J > ... 
Essex 
10 
'4 
3 
23 
Charles Fidler 
Scotch 
5 
24 
J J 
Lines. 
9 
25 
JJ 
Essex 
11 
4 
4 
3 
2(1 
Empress Queen 
Scotch 
5 
27 
JJ 
Lines. 
8 
3 
9 
Q 
28 
Daniels Special ... 
Scotch 
5 
29 
)) 
Lines. 
6 
30 
Essex 
9 
3 
4 
9 
31 
Davie’s Warrior . .. 
Scotch 
5 
32 
JJ • • • 
Kent 
10 
4 
3 
3 
33 
Duchess of Cornwall 
Scotch 
5 
34 
JJ JJ 
Lines. 
8 
_ 
35 
jj jj 
Essex 
10 
4 
3 
3 
35 
Lim Gray ... 
Scotch 
6 
37 
J J 
Lines 
5 
_ 
38 
,, 
Essex 
ii 
5 
3 
3 
39 
Eldorado . 
Scotch 
2 
40 
jj 
Lines. 
4 
_ 
41 
J J 
Essex 
7 
3 
9 
9 
42 
JJ 
Kent 
6 
43 
Discovery ... 
Scotch 
2 
44 
JJ 
Lines. 
2 
, _ 
45 
JJ 
Essex 
8 
3 
3 
9 
45 
Conquering Hero ... 
Scotch 
6 
47 
JJ JJ 
Kent 
7 
3 
2 
9 
48 
Diamond 
Scotch 
6 
2 
9 
9 
49 
JJ 
Lines. 
5 
__ 
50 
JJ 
Essex 
5 
51 
Highlander. 
Junes. 
6 
_ 
52 
JJ 
20th Century 
Essex 
9 
3 
3 
3 
53 
Scotch 
5 
54 
?! JJ 
Nobleman ... 
Lines. 
9 
3 
3 
o 
DO 
Wales 
9 
3 
3 
3 
56 
Peacemaker 
Scotch 
9 
3 
3 
3 
57 
The Provost 
Scotch 
8 
2 
3 
3 
58 
King Edward VI1. 
(Kerr’s). 
Scotch 
8 
9 
3 
3 
59 
Challenge. 
Scotch 
3 
_ 
60 
JJ • • • 
Lines. 
7 
3 
2 
9 
61 
Hector Macdonald 
Scotch 
7 
9 
3 
9 
62 
Niven’s Premier ... 
Scotch 
9 
3 
3 
3 
63 
Uncle Sam. 
Kent 
S 
2 
3 
3 
64 
Vermont Gold Coin 
Scotch 
7 
2 
2 
3 
65 
Dobbie’s Favourite 
Scotch 
10 
4 
3 
o 
66 
Table Talk. 
Scotch 
9 
3 
3 
3 
67 
Peckover ... 
Cambs 
10 
4 
3 
3 
British Bud Flowers.— Few gardeners probably have set 
themselves the task of reckoning up how many red flowers are 
natives of this country. They are really very scarce, omitting 
those with the rose, purple, and pink flowers. W'e find a shade 
of orange-red approaching scarlet in the Poor Man’s Weather¬ 
glass (Anagallis arvensis). Another orange flower more or less 
tinted with red is the orange Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantia- 
cum), which is a naturalised plant rather than a true native. 
The Elms have dark red or crimson flowers, and when trees 
are in full bloom the flowers may be regarded as red, but this 
is chiefly due to the stamens, and, owing to the height at which 
the flowers are situated, they are often overlooked. Possibly 
some 1 of our readers can think of other native plants with red 
flowers. 
