30,4 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  12,  1900. 
Only  a  small  proportion  of  the  Violets  sold  in  London  at  this 
season  come  from  its  rural  suburbs,  yet  some  are  grown  ue^r  them,  as 
about  Richmond,  Teddington,  Twickenham,  and  places  adjacent,  beds 
of  Violets  being  often  formed  in  orchards.  A  bank  sloping  towards  the 
south  will  give  a  fair  quantity  of  blooms  in  an  average  autumn.  Of 
course  far  a  winter  supply  the  plants  must  be  kept  in  houses  or  pits; 
they  only  require  a  moderate  warmth.  After  the  third  year  most 
London  growers  pull  up  the  plants  and  make  new  beds,  because  ihe 
flowers  degenerate  by  that  time.  Though  as  a  fact  the  roots  of 
Violets  do  not  go  down  deepl)^  they  flourish  when  there  is  underneath 
them  some  depth  of  good  soil.  IMostly  the  plants  are  put  in  rows, 
alleys  being  formed,  so  that  the  flowers  may  be  gathered  without 
treading  on  them.  Part  of  the  Wallflowers  now  coming  into  the 
market  are  grown  about  the  western  suburbs,  such  as  Twickenham 
and  Isleworth ;  they  are  found  to  thrive  best  in  shady  places,  and  as 
a  rule  thev  are  treated  as  annuals.  Seeds  are  sown  in  February,  and 
when  the  young  plants  are  big  enough  to  handle  they  are  place  i  in 
rows  about  12  inches  apart.  Some  of  these  rows  may  be  seen  nearly 
half  a  mile  long.  The  darkest  coloured  Wallflowers  are  still  most 
liked ;  also  they  are  found  to  bloom  better  and  earlier. 
To  London  gardeners  of  the  present  he  is  simply  a  name,  but 
those  of  the  forties  or  fifties,  many  of  them,  knew  well  Wilmot  of 
Isleworth.  He  was  extensively  engaged  in  forcing,  and  outdoor 
culture  too.  I  think  he  had  above  100  acres  of  land  when  I  first 
heard  of  him.  Amongst  his  specialities  was  Wilmot’s  Early  Forcing 
Bean,  which  he  grew  largely.  Pines  he  cut  every  day  of  the  ye.ir  ;  his 
were  mostly  forced  in  pots,  plunged  in  fermenting  bark,  in  narrow 
houses  slightly  sunk  in  the  ground.  Of  Vines  he  had  an  immense 
quantity  ;  a  few  on  walls,  the  bulk  under  glass.  The  Black  Hamburgh 
was  the  kind  he  favoured  more  than  others,  but  he  showed  the  Mill 
Hill  Grape,  which  he  appears  to  have  named  and  found  productive, 
so  had  several  houses  devoted  to  this  sort.  Mr.  Beck’s  nursery  at 
Isleworth  used  to  send  out  every  year  a  variety  of  Pelargoniums 
raised  from  seed ;  he  also  had  some  choice  Orchids.  Amongst  the 
modern  nurserymen  of  the  district  we  remember  Abear,  Lee  &  Son, 
and  Weathers.  In  a  former  article,  dealing  with  part  of  the  West  of 
London,  I  should  have  referred  to  Mr.  Buller,  of  Kensal  New  Town, 
who  was,  twenty  years  ago,  a  successful  grower  of  Agaves,  Aloes,  and 
miniature  succulents. — J.  R.  S.  C. 
- - 
Fatality  Aii|ong  Broccoli. 
A  COMBINATION  of  circumstances  has  once  again  borne  testimony 
to  the  uncertainty  of  winter  and  spring  Broccoli,  the  dearth  of  which, 
as  well  as  some  other  vegetables,  being  such,  that  the  gardener’s  lot  at 
the  present  time  is  anything  but  an  enviable  one.  The  fatality  among 
Broccoli  is  more  directly  attributable  to  the  severity  of  the  winter’s 
frost,  and  notwithstanding  that  the  frost  spells  were  of  short  duration, 
the  injury  inflicted  is  now  only  too  clearly  apparent  in  patchy  beds 
and  bare  ground.  There  are  invariably  more  or  less  heavy  losses 
when  frost  exceeds  20°  on  several  consecutive  nights,  and  this  has 
happened  at  two  or  three  different  periods  of  the  present  winter. 
The  effects  of  the  frost  have  been  accelerated  without  doubt  by  their 
late  growth,  consequent  on  the  prolonged  drought  of  last  summer, 
followed  by  autumn  rains  and  mild  growing  weather.  The  latter 
sustained  leaf  development,  and  consequently  a  sappy  nature  in  the 
stems  and  heart  of  the  plants  until  quite  late  in  the  winter,  and  such 
severe  frost  following  closely  on  this  could  not  be  expected  to  be  other 
than  fatal  in  its  effect.  It  is  five  years  since  there  were  such  a  poor 
crop  of  outdoor  vegetables,  and  that  winter  was  noteworthy  for  the 
prolonged  and  deeply  penetrating  frosts.  Then  there  were  almost 
continuous  frosts  for  well-nigh  three  months. 
All  varieties  have  suffered  severely,  but  needless  to  say  the  early 
Broccoli  are  those  which  fared  the  worse.  Of  some  varieties  there 
were  whole  breadths  completely  destroyed,  in  others  few  remain. 
The  late  ones,  such  as  Late  Queen,  Veitch’s  Model,  Continuity, 
Knight’s  Protecting,  Sutton’s  Bouquet,  and  Southampton  Late  White, 
are  some  of  those  which  are  present  in  irregular  numbers,  but  in  none  is 
there  a  full  row.  This  not  only  constitutes  a  great  loss  of  labour,  but 
it  entails  such  a  loss  of  material,  and,  moreover,  there  is  an  absence  of 
a  vegetable  so  indispensable  for  the  dining-room,  reducing  the  supply 
to  a  state  of  monotony.  Every  care  was  taken  to  choose  firm  soil  for 
this  crop,  and  it  is  very  distressing  to  see  one’s  stock  dwindling  down 
in  some  kinds  to  nothing,  after  so  much  time  and  labour  have  I  een 
spent  on  sowing  and  planting.  One  almost  despairs  of  planting 
Broccoli  at  all. 
Where  there  are  vacant  glass  structures  or  spaces  in  them  that  can 
be  utilised  for  lifting  and  storing  the  early  varieties,  a  supply  can  be 
maintained  for  some  time,  but  this  is  not  a  frequently  met  with 
convenience  in  private  gardens.  It  has  happened  that  following  such 
winters  as  the  past  one,  resolutions  are  made  not  to  grow  so  many 
Broccoli,  and  this,  when  acted  upon  in  summer,  is  regretted  when 
the  winter  comes  and  does  not  prove  severe.  It  is  best  to  take 
the  .seasons  as  they  come,  and  not  to  relax  efforts  because  of  failures. 
Severe  winters  are  not  otten  succeeded  by  others  of  the  same  nature. 
Snow  is  generally  looked  upon  by  the  inexperienced  as  a  blessing  in 
disguise  as  regards  outdoor  vegetation,  but  this  certainly  does  not 
apply  to  Broccoli  so  favourably.  In  its  melted  state  it  settles  in  the 
hearts  of  plants,  and  is  overtaken  at  night  by  scorching  frost,  and  to 
this  cause  much  of  the  dearth  of  Broccoli  is  due  at  the  present 
time. — W.  S. 
- 4.#^ - - 
Culture  of  Nephrolepis. 
Well  developed  examples  of  this  Fern  are  among  the  choicest 
plants  for  decorating  a  shady  corner  in  the  conservatory  in  summer. 
Although  a  stove  evergreen  Fern,  being  a  native  of  the  tropics,  it 
succeeds  very  well  in  an  intermediate  temperature,  and  may  be 
employed  in  structures  where  there  is  but  little  heat  in  summer  and 
autumn  other  than  the  natural  temperature. 
The  Nephrolepis  lends  itself  readily  to  propagation,  both  by  division 
of  plants  at  the  present  time,  or  by  pegging  down  some  of  the  best  of 
the  creeping  stems  which  are  thrown  out  by  vigorous  healthy  plants 
from  the  base.  In  the  latter  case  drain  some  3-inch  pots  and  fill  with 
a  mixture  of  peat,  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand.  Fasten  down  young 
plants  upon  this,  allowing  them  to  remain  attached  to  the  creeping 
stem  until  rooted  and  independent  plants  are  formed.  Divisions  to 
form  new  stock  may  be  taken  from  the  outside  of  large  old  plants,  but 
the  most  vigorous  are  best  found  on  younger  specimens  which  have 
not  been  root-bound  for  so  long.  The  fronds  attached  to  the  most 
suitable  divisions  should  be  comparatively  short,  fresh,  and  green. 
Large  yellow  fronds  attached  do  not  serve  any  useful  purpose,  and 
should  be  cut  off  if  present.  Place  the  pots  on  a  damp  base  in  heat 
and  moisture,  syringing  lightly  every  day  until  established. 
Young  plants  may  be  given  a  shift  when  roots  are  becoming 
numerous.  Spring  is  usually  the  best  time,  root  activity  increasing 
daily,  inciting  new  fibres  to  take  possession  of  the  new  soil.  Plants 
established  in  pots  from  5  inches  to  9  inches  diameter  are  the  most 
useful  and  portable  for  decoration,  while  for  forming  large  specimens 
10  to  13-inch  pots  may  be  employed.  Of  course  the  plants  must  be 
gradually  moved  on  to  the  larger  sizes.  Wa'er  sparingly  immediately 
after  potting,  rather  maintaining  the  soil  moist  with  gentle  syringing 
than  saturating  the  new  compost  with  too  free  watering.  The  fronds 
being  long  and  narrow  are  liable  to  fall  about  if  not  lightly  held 
together  with  a  strip  of  matting  run  round  three  or  four  slender 
stakes. 
The  Nephrolepis  also  makes  an  excellent  basket  Pern.  N.  pecti- 
nata,  N.  davallioides,  and  N.  davallioides  furcans  are  the  best  varieties 
for  growing  in  this  way.  Wire  baskets  should  be  used,  lining  these 
with  a  layer  of  sphagnum  moss.  Utilise  plants  of  a  size  corresponding 
to  the  baskets,  and  which  will  admit  of  a  fair  quantity  of  compost 
being  introduced  for  t’nem  to  root  in.  Hang  up  the  baskets  in  a 
warm  moist  atmosphere,  and  syringe  daily.  Heavy  watering  will  not 
be  needed  at  first,  simply  keeping  the  moss  and  the  soil  healthfully 
moist.  Shade  from  sun.  When  well  established  in  the  receptacles 
large  and  imposing  specimens  are  formed,  which  prove  attractive  for 
some  years.  As  the  Nephrolepis  is  an  evergreen  Fern,  it  is  ornamental 
the  year  round  so  long  as  the  fronds  are  healthy.  When  the  roots 
have  permeated  freely  into  the  compost,  and  this  is  indicated  by  the 
vigorous  condition  of  the  new  fronds,  the  baskets  may  be  suspended 
in  a  cooler  temperature  than  they  were  in  previously. 
Watering  is  of  importance ;  therefore,  m  placing  the  Ferns  in  the 
baskets  keep  the  crowns  fairly  low  down,  and  do  not  fill  in  the  soil  to 
the  top,  so  that  there  remains  ample  room  for  watering.  However, 
with  this  attention  the  baskets  are  liable  to  dry  through  rapidly,  and 
the  ordinary  method  of  watering  fails  to  moisten  them.  Under  these 
circumstances  soak  the  basket,  in  a  vessel  of  water.  It  may  not  be 
necessary  to  do  this  the  first  season,  except  the  baskets  are  very 
small. 
Besides  N.  davallioides  and  its  robust  crested  form  furcans,  above 
mentioned,  we  have  in  N.  Bausei  a  pretty  variety  ;  N.  Uuffi,  which 
ought  to  have  been  mentioned  as  a  good  basket  variety,  is  exceedingly 
ornamental.  The  fronds  are  peculiar,  the  pinnae  being  of  rounded 
shape  and  closely  set  on  the  midrib.  Each  frond  is  several  times 
divided  before  the  tip  is  reached,  and  each  division  is  also  branched  at 
the  tips.  The  growth  is  tufted  and  of  close  habit.  A  very  distinct 
variety,  differing  entirely  (rom  the  varieties  mentioned,  is  N.  rufesceus 
tripinnatifida.  The  pinnae  are  closely  set  and  overlap  each  other  to 
some  extent,  which  gives  the  frond  a  very  full  bold  appearance. 
N.  exaltata  is  also  a  well  known  handsome  variety,  and  should  be 
included  in  every  collection  of  stove  Ferns. — E.  D.  S. 
