April  22,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
339 
-  Native  Guano. — From  the  Native  Guano  Co.,  29,  New  Bridge 
Street,  Blackfriars,  we  have  received  a  pamphlet  containing  sixty  pages 
almost  exclusively  occupied  by  testimonials  as  to  the  quality  of  this 
food.  There  are  letters  from  some  of  the  best-known  gardeners  in  all 
parts  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  the  unanimity  with  which  they 
agree  as  to  the  merits  of  the  product  is  ample  testimony  of  its  worth. 
-  Pansies  and  Violas  in  Pots. — We  have  pleasure  in  sending 
you  herewith  a  few  blooms  from  our  Pansies  and  Violas.  The  plants 
were  potted  in  January,  and  have  since  been  grown  in  a  cool  green¬ 
house,  where  they  are  flowering  beautifully. — Dobbie  &  Co.  [We  know 
how  attractive  these  plants  are  when  flowered  in  pots  early  in  the 
reason,  but  unfortunately  the  box  of  flowers  posted  on  the  14th  inst. 
did  not  reach  us  till  the  night  post  of  the  20th,  and  were,  as  may  be 
imagined,  a  mass  of  dry,  crumpled,  colourless  lumpB — in  fact,  dead.] 
-  White  Broccoli. — This  term  is  very  familiar,  and  was  fully 
justified  by  the  beautiful  specimens  exhibited  by  Mr.  Empson  at  the 
Westminster  Drill  Hall  last  week.  They  were  not  large,  but  quite 
large  enough,  and  not  cream  coloured,  but  a  clear  white,  like  Cauli¬ 
flowers.  Whether  they  underwent  any  manipulative  blanching  process 
is  not  knowD,  but  whether  they  did  or  not,  they  were  the  whitest 
Broccoli  we  have  seen  of  some  thousands  in  London  this  spring.  The 
variety  was  named  Carter’s  Perfection,  and  the  heads  for  closeness  and 
purity  would  be  hard  to  surpass. 
-  Horticultural  Club. — The  monthly  dinner  and  conver¬ 
sazione  of  the  Club  took  place  on  Tuesday  evening  last,  when  there  was 
a  good  attendance  of  members  and  friends.  Mr.  H.  J.  Veitch, 
Vice-Chairman  of  the  Club,  presided,  and  there  were  present  Messrs. 
H.  J.  Pearson,  Francis  T.  Rivers,  H.  Rivers,  J.  E.  Cockett.  J.  Cockett,  jun., 
H.  Selfe-Leonard,  James  Walker,  Ge  )rge  Paul,  C.  E.  Shea,  J.  Assbee, 
Dr.  Ernest  D’Ombrain,  H.  A.  A.  D’Ombrain,  Philip  Crowley,  and  the 
Secretary.  A  very  interesting  paper  on  the  Flower  Gardens  of  Victoria 
was  read  by  Dr.  Ernest  D’Ombrain  of  Melbourne,  in  which  he  showed 
how  erroneous  were  the  opinions  often  entertained  in  this  country  as  to 
the  soil  and  climate  of  Victoria.  He  also  gave  an  account  of  plants  and 
flowers  which  flourished  best  in  the  Colony.  An  interesting  discussion 
followed  the  reading  of  the  paper,  and  many  questions  were  asked  on 
some  of  the  points  elicited  by  the  lecturer,  to  whom,  on  the  motion  of 
Mr.  Veitch,  a  cordial  vote  of  thanks  was  given.  We  hope  to  give  this 
paper  in  a  future  issue.  Thanks  were  also  given  to  Mr.  Geo.  Mount  for 
some  beautiful  Roses  which  he  sent  to  decorate  the  table. 
-  Report  of  Tomato  Cultivation. — Mr.  W.  Neild,  F  R.H.S., 
has  furnished  a  report,  as  indicated,  to  the  Cheshire  County  Council,  as 
founded  on  experiments  conducted  at  the  Agricultural  and  Horticultural 
School  at  Holmes  Chapel.  The  varieties  grown  were  the  Hackwood 
Park  and  Neild’s  Seedling,  the  last  named  having  been  granted  an 
award  of  merit  in  the  Chiswick  trials  last  year.  Mr.  Neild  seems  to 
have  been  surprised  by  the  result  of  ten  experiments  in  manuring.  Of 
these  it  may  be  briefly  said  that  a  mixture  of  nitrate  of  soda  and 
muriate  of  potash,  nitrate  of  soda  alone,  and  sulphate  of  ammonia  alone, 
had  the  best  effect.  He  goes  on  to  say,  “  Potassic  manures  have  long 
been  considered  the  best  for  Tomatoes,  and  yet  when  muriate  of  potash 
was  applied  by  itself  it  proved  to  be  a  failure.”  In  the  first  place  we 
doubt  if  potash  alone,  and  in  the  absence  of  other  food  essentials,  has 
been  recommended  as  the  “  best  ”  manure  by  any  competent  adviser. 
These  Cheshire  experiments  have  not  proved  the  inutility  of  potash  in 
the  least.  Had  the  plants  and  fruits  been  analysed  it  would  have  been 
discovered  that  they  had  obtained  all  the  potash  they  required  where 
there  was  sufficient  available  nitrogen  in  the  soil  to  enable  them  to 
benefit  by  it.  Mr.  Neild  has  really  discovered  that  the  “heavy  and 
rather  adhesive”  soil  contained  an  ample  store  of  potash  (as  such  soils 
often  do),  while  light  or  sandy  soils  are  as  often  deficient.  This  is 
represented  in  Mr.  Dyke’s  table  on  page  312  last  week,  and  he  also 
shows  that  the  soil  in  which  muriate  of  potash  had  no  effect  might  even 
contain  potash  at  the  rate  of  24,900  lbs.  per  acre  in  a  depth  of  9  inches, 
but  lying  comparatively  inert  by  lack  of  sufficiency  of  available  nitrogen. 
He  has  also  discovered  that  his  soil  is  deficient  in  active  nitrogen, 
and  there  are  thousands  of  acres  of  land  in  much  the  same  condition. 
Some  of  the  finest  crops  of  Tomatoes,  averaging  22  lbs.  a  plant,  were 
grown  in  sandy  soil,  and  muriate  of  potash  was  a  chief  factor  in  their 
production ;  but  though  it  was  not  given  alone  they  could  not  have  been 
produced  without  it  in  such  soil.  Referring  to  size  of  fruits,  Mr.  Neild 
found  that  in  nearly  every  instance  smooth  medium-sized  samples  realised 
from  Id.  to  2d.  per  lb.  more  than  the  larger  fruits  did.  He  also  gives 
excellent  advice  on  preparing  and  packing  fruits  for  market. 
- The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.— We  have  the 
pleasure  to  announce  that  Mr.  Leonard  Sutton  of  Sutton  &  Sons, 
Reading,  has  very  generously  sent  a  donation  of  £100  to  the  Royal 
Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.  We  are  requested  to  remind  our  readers 
that  the  annual  festival  dinner  of  this  charity  will  take  plaoe  on  Friday, 
April  30th,  at  the  Hotel  Cecil,  Charing  Cross.  Gentlemen  who  may  be 
desirous  of  attending  the  dinner  will  please  communicate  with  the 
Secretary  (Mr.  A.  F.  Barron,  Chiswick),  by  whom  donations  to  the  Fund 
are  most  thankfully  received  and  gratefully  acknowledged. 
- -  Hessle  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. — 
The  annual  dinner  of  the  above  Society  took  place  on  Monday,  April  12  th 
when  the  chair  was  occupied  by  W.  J.  Wharwick,  Esq.,  President  of  the 
Society.  Upwards  of  sixty  members  and  friends  partook  and  thoroughly 
appreciated  the  good  fare  provided.  The  usual  toasts  were  submitted 
and  duly  responded  to,  including  that  of  the  “  Press,”  both  the  local  and 
the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  A  capital  musical  programme  was  most 
ably  rendered  by  Mr.  A.  Newton’s  Kingston  quartette  party,  who 
displayed  exceptional  ability  in  entertaining.  Collections  were  made 
on  behalf  of  the  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund  and  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution.  The  National  Anthem  brought  to  a  close  a 
most  enjoyable  evening. — F.  L.  T. 
-  Easter  in  the  Isle  of  Wight. — At  this  festive  Beason  there 
is  a  great  demand  for  flowers  in  all  parts  of  the  island,  and  it 
undoubtedly  behoves  florists  to  cater  sufficiently  for  the  public  wants  , 
and  if  possible  to  have  such  a  show  of  bloom  in  their  shops  that  passers 
cannot  resist  the  temptation  to  buy.  This  idea  is  adopted  by  Mr. 
Walter  Gibson,  Sandown.  Anyone  who  passes  the  shop  in  High  Street 
will  see  a  miniature  flower  show  of  excellently  grown,  well  bloomed,  and 
nicely  arranged  Lilium  Harrisi,  Azaleas,  Tulips,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  and 
Polyantha  Roses,  with  foliage  plants  intermixed,  which  gives  the  whole 
a  tropical  appearance.  It  is  patent  to  all  that  the  florist  or  fruiterer 
can  draw  or  drive  customers  away  to  a  large  extent  by  the  way  in  which 
his  goods  are  exposed  for  sale. — S.  H. 
-  Schizocodon  soldanelloides. — It  is  surprising  that  this 
plant,  of  which  a  figure  is  given  on  page  323,  has  not  found  its  way 
more  generally  into  cultivation  in  England.  It  is  offered  in  the  Japanese 
nursery  catalogues,  both  at  Tohohama  and  Tokio,  at  a  price  equal  to 
about  2d.  a  plant,  and  the  transmission  by  parcel  post  costs  Is.  lOd.  for 
3  lbs.  weight,  and  is  performed  in  a  time  which  brings  these  plants  to 
England  alive.  I  had  some  plants  imported  and  given  to  me  by  a  friend, 
but  I  am  afraid  I  shall  not  succeed  with  its  cultivation,  as  Shortia 
galacifolia  and  Galax  aphylla— the  two  plants  most  nearly  allied  to  it 
both  in  nature  and  habit— fail  utterly  here.  It  would  probably  succeed 
in  Mr.  G.  Wilson’s  garden  at  Wisley,  where  the  two  species  I  have  men¬ 
tioned  above  thrive  admirably.  Now  the  plant  can  be  obtained  so 
easily  and  cheaply,  it  is  to  be  hoped  we  shall  soon  know  more  of  the 
circumstances  and  surroundings  necessary  for  its  successful  cultivation. 
— C.  Wolley-Dod. 
-  Carrots. — I  am  hoping  this  season  to  be  able  to  get  a  pretty 
correct  line  as  to  the  diversities  or  otherwise  that  may  exist  amongst 
Carrots,  having  sown  seed  on  excellent  sandy  soil  of  both  British  and 
French  nomenclature.  That  some  of  these  are  identical,  though  not  in 
name,  there  can  be  no  doubt — indeed,  the  packet  illustrations  of  the 
French  stocks  show  exactly  what  these  varieties  under  French  appella¬ 
tions  are  of  British  designation.  The  former  nomenclature,  however,  is 
not  suited  to  our  tastes,  as  too  long  and  descriptive.  For  that'  reason 
we  cannot  complain  if  British  seedsmen  give  to  the  stocks  British 
appellations  ;  but  could  wish  they  would  be  unanimous  in  adopting  the 
game  designation,  and  not  employing  a  different  one  in  every  diverse 
catalogue.  British  seedsmen,  no  doubt  appreciating  home  growers’ 
tastes,  keep  almost  exclusively  to  red  varieties.  The  French  not  only 
grow  all  these,  but  pink,  lemon,  and  white  ones  also.  Even  the  long 
red  coreless,  or  soft-fleshed  sausage-shaped  Carrot  does  not  seem  to  be 
on  offer  here.  I  have  this  variety  sown,  as  also  white,  lemon,  and  pink- 
rooted  varieties.  Gardeners  generally  limit  themselves  to  the  early 
French  Horn,  otherwise  Early  Gem,  or  Early  Forcing  for  frames; 
Champion  Scarlet*  or  Scarlet  Model,  and  St.  Valery,  otherwise  New- 
Intermediate  or  Matchless.  The  long  Altrincham  and  Red  Surrey 
are  much  less  grown.  No  doubt  the  three  varieties  named  serve 
every  useful  purpose  in  gardens,  and  are  the  best  of  the  batch. 
None  the  less  we  may  not  shut  our  eyes  to  the  merits  of  other  varieties 
that  have  features  of  special  excellence.  It  is  one.  of  the  great  merits 
of  the  Carrot  that  we  can  have  it  in  good  form  literally  all  the  year 
round. — A. 
