3 M 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May ii, 1907. 
of mine to whom I have sent cuttings 
has tried as perseveringly as I have and 
acknowledges it is one of the few sub¬ 
jects that has completely beaten him. 
" F. Norfolk. 
-- 
Zealand Spinach. 
Where a supply of this useful vegetable 
is required during the hot summer months 
I should like to bring the above kind 
to your readers’ notice. The exceptions, 
I think, are few, whether in large or small 
places. More especiallv where there a.re 
young families is a supply appreciated, 
as in these quarters its medicinal 
value is becoming more appreciated every 
year. Having grown the above for a 
number of years, I am fully convinced 
that this is the best we have, as from one 
sowing we can have an abundant supply 
through what is usually the hottest three 
months of the year, as, unlike other sum¬ 
mer varieties, it does not so quickly run 
to seed. Its nature is to creep and cover 
the ground, thereby shading it, and re¬ 
taining moisture which is very essential 
for success. I have heard of the seeds 
being sown where it is to 'be grown, but 
I am afraid germination must take some 
considerable time, as the seeds are very 
hard, and this would, perhaps, mean a 
month later in commencing to grow than 
by the method I shall describe. 
Scfw the seed the end of March in a 
box, and place on a hot-bed until well up, 
gradually hardening off so as to be ready 
for planting out the second week in May, 
on ground that has been well dug and 
manured. The aim should be to induce 
strong growth by giving about 18 inches 
from plant to plant, and the same distance 
in the rows—the strongest singly, the 
weaker ones two in a place. From the 
tim,e of planting until the time of cutting 
last year was exactly two months, but on 
this same piece of ground was grown the 
early batch of cauliflowers, planted at a 
distance convenient for the spinach. The 
little shade provided by the cauliflowers 
during the former’s early growth will be 
found very beneficial. 
Southfields. W. Waite. 
-- 
Prunus tomentosa. 
This is an exceptionally pretty'species 
from China and Japan belonging to the 
Armeniaca or Apricot section of the 
genus. Although when mature it forms 
a good sized bush, it blooms freely when 
quite small, and from the time it is two 
years old gives a good account of itself 
each spring. It is one of the earliest 
species to blossom, beine at its best about 
the end of March and the early part of 
April or about the time the Almond is 
in flower. With little or no pruning, it 
forms from eight to nine years after sow¬ 
ing the seed, a well furnished bush four to 
five feet high, and as much through: The 
leaves are about two inches long and 
densely tomentose. The flowers are 
white, much flushed with pink, and are 
borne in profusion all along the previous 
season’s shoots. 'As yet, it is rather un¬ 
common, but is worthy of attention from 
people interested in early flowering shrubs. 
D. W. 
Now we rejoice, for flower and bud 
Are decking all the land. 
With promises of fruits to come. 
When summer gives command. 
Creation quivers with delight, 
The glad birds chirp and sing, . 
To welcome in these glorious days, 
The advent of the spring. 
Baynton-Taylor. 
The Greengage Plum. 
Lord Gage has just recently completed 
his fifty-fourth year, and this reminds 
us that the Greengage Plum derived its 
name from one of his lordship's ancestors, 
Sir Thomas Gage. There is a popular 
fiction that Sir Thomas introduced it 
here. At an unknown date the Plum was 
raised in Italy, and called, as it is still, 
“Verdochia. ” About 1540 it was intro¬ 
duced into France, and soon afterwards 
brought to England. In 1629 Parkinson, 
in his list of Pl.ums, speaks of the “ver- 
doch” as being cultivated in this country. 
Later it seems to have died out in Eng¬ 
land. It was not until about 1725 that 
Sir Thomas Gage reintroduced it. A 
specimen was sent him by his brother, a 
Roman Catholic priest in Paris, and from 
it the baronet raised numerous trees. 
- (L w. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.-Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradicalion of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making f he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
folk wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thm Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
+♦+ 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best pnpers in this competition 
are too long, and w r e desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “A. J. Hartless” for his article on 
“How to Grow Violas,” page 298. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize was 
awarded to “ C.C.” for his article on “ Pents- 
temon Newbury G?m ”; and another to “ J.R,” 
for his article on “Procuring Good Onions,” 
page 300. 
. . The Art of Buying . . 
Seeds and — 
Plants. 
The amateur is so often a victim to in¬ 
experience and to the foolish eagerness 
after cheapness, that at the present time 
a word of advice may be of service to those 
who are about to buy either seeds or 
plants. 
We amateurs have far too many enemies 
in the shape of weather and insects to 
need to increase their numbers by using 
either bad or inferior seeds or plants. A 
thousand seeds for a small sum may seem 
a great bargain, and the people who sell 
may be acting in all good faith and 
honesty, yet the results may be greviously 
disappointing. 
Ten seeds of the right sort may be 
really a much better bargain, because 
they will yield far superior results. 
By way of illustration the reader would 
do well to examine say a Sunflower when 
it has seeded. He will see an immense 
number of seeds that are immature, there¬ 
fore not likely to produce anything satis¬ 
factory. There will be many small seeds 
which can only yield small plants, a feu 
seeds of moderate size which will give bet¬ 
ter results, and a very few well developed 
and plump, with a store of nutriment for 
the seedling when it starts into being. So 
we see that out of thousands of seeds only 
a very few are likely to yield fine plants. 
As a rule these seeds are mixed for sale, 
but some firms will only offer purchasers 
the choicest specimens. 
Further, if the plant from which the 
seeds are taken is poor and ill nourished, 
the seeds will not have the stamina to 
produce fine results. 
So with plants. Small, immature speci¬ 
mens at low prices will be more or less 
disappointing. 
To sum up, when you are buydng, if 
you go on the following lines you may 
expect a sure success. 
Always buy tested seeds. (I know one 
firm even goes so far as to guarantee their 
seeds) from growers of established reputa¬ 
tion, who select only the finest seeds from 
the finest plants. 
Always buy plants that have been grown 
under the best conditions, to ensure 
health and vigour. Always have those 
which are readv to give results at once. 
They cost but little more than small, 
feeble specimens, which may die right off, 
or which, if they live, may be a long 
time before they make any show. 
It may cost a little more to get the best, 
but believe me, it is cheapest in the end. 
Verbum Sap. 
-- 
Primula cockburniana. 
This very distinct Primrose has at last 
received a well deserved Award of Merit 
from the R.H.S. on the 16th April when 
shown by Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons, 
Chelsea. The flowers are of a deep 
orange, with a crimson eye, and produced 
in two or three whorls on a stem. It is 
a new species from Western China, and 
is unique as far as we know in the large 
family of Primulas on account of its re¬ 
markable colour. 
