552 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  12, 1896. 
- “Lincoln’s  Inn  Fields. — Since  passing  into  the  control  of  the 
London  County  Council  these  gardens  have  proved  most  attractive  and 
beneficial  to  the  large  poor  populace  of  the  neighbourhood.  This  open 
space  is  now  being  thoroughly  drained,  and  the  paths  levelled  and 
gravelled.  At  a  later  period  the  beds  and  borders  will  be  taken  in  hand, 
and  many  of  them  entirely  replanted,  so  as  to  render  this  historic  ground 
as  beautiful  as  its  position  will  allow. 
-  WooLTON  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society. — 
A  meeting  of  the  above  was  held  on  Thursday  evening,  December  5th. 
There  was  a  good  attendance  of  members,  who  listened  attentively  to 
an  excellent  paper  on  “  Winter  Flowering  Plants,”  by  Mr.  W.  Disley, 
The  Gardens,  Allerton  Priory.  Mr.  E.  Todd,  gardener  to  Holbrook 
Gaskell,  Esq.,  Woolton  Wood,  exhibited  a  plant  of  Oncidium  orni- 
thorhyncum  carrying  thirty-four  very  fine  spikes  of  flower,  for  which 
the  Committee  awarded  a  certificate  of  merit.  The  usual  vote  of 
thanks  closed  the  proceedings. 
-  CRATiEGua  APiiFOLiA. — This  is  a  small  tree,  with  delicate, 
nearly  circular,  deeply  cleft  and  divided  leaves,  of  the  Southern  States, 
where  it  is  mostly  confined  to  the  coast  region,  although  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River  it  ranges  inland  to  central  Arkansas.  Plajits  raised 
from  seed  gathered  near  Little  Rock,  A  rkansas,  have,  says  the  “  Garden  and 
Forest,”  produced  plants  which  have  proved  fairly  hardy  in  the  Arnold 
arboretum,  although  they  have  not  flowered  there  yet.  The  Parsley 
Haw,  as  Crataegus  apiifolia  is  often  called,  is  one  of  the  most  delicate 
and  beautiful  species  of  the  whole  genus,  and  in  the  arboretum  this 
autumn  it  has  been  specially  noticeable  for  the  brilliant  deep  red  colour 
assumed  by  some  of  the  leaves,  while  others  on  the  same  branch  remain 
unchanged  in  colour, 
-  Charge  for  Carriage  of  Small  Parcels.— A  correspon¬ 
dent  writes  to  a  contemporary: — “I  am  very  glad  to  see  in  your 
columns  an  announcement  that  the  Great  Eastern  Railway  intend  to 
revise  their  rates  and  offer  better  facilities  for  the  distribution  of  food 
and  garden  produce.  My  residence  is  within  half  a  mile  of  a  suburban 
railway  station  (five  miles  from  the  G.E.R.  terminus),  and  yet  for  a  few 
eggs  or  a  couple  of  fowls  from  Norfolk  it  costs  8d.  railway  carriage,  and 
then  the  package  is  handed  over  to  a  carrier  who  demands  fid.  more.  It 
is  this  system  of  fleecing  the  public  that  checks  the  direct  sale  of 
wholesome  food  and  prevents  the  small  farmer  paying  his  rent  much 
more  than  packing  things  square  in  a  railway  truck,  as  suggested  in  the 
new  order  of  things,” 
-  The  Price  of  Apples. — A  short  time  ago  I  was  passing 
through  Birmingham,  and  I  invariably  make  a  practice  of  examining 
the  principal  fruit  shop  windows.  At  one  very  prominent  shop  I  noticed 
fine  “English  Blenheims ”  ticketed  10  lbs.  for  Is.  At  the  entrance  to 
the  shop  stood  a  barrel  of  “  American  Blenheims  ”  ticketed  4d.  per  lb. 
The  English  fruit  was  larger  but  not  so  highly  coloured.  I  bought  a 
few  of  the  Americans  and  compared  them  on  my  return  home,  and  found 
they  corresponded  exactly  with  my  Cobhams,  except  that  they  were  a 
little  more  highly  coloured — of  course,  by  the  extra  sunshine  in  that 
country  ;  but  why  John  Bull  should  pay  a  difference  of  about  2f  d.  per  lb. 
for  sunshine  or  “  moonshine  ”  I  could  not  exactly  understand.  At  any 
rate,  they  appear  to  have  hit  on  the  best  type  of  “  Blenheims  ”  to  compete 
with  us. — J.  Hiam,  Astwood-Banli. 
-  The  American  Apple  Crop,— This  is  one  of  the  largest  in 
recent  years.  According  to  the  “American  Agriculturist”  the  com¬ 
mercial  crop  totals  up  to  about  6fi,256  000  barrels.  The  distribution  of 
the  crop,  however,  is  peculiar,  the  great  Apple  growing  districts  east  of 
the  Alleghanies  showing  less  than  an  average  crop.  New  England  being 
especially  deficient,  while  in  the  Central  West  the  crop  is  the  largest 
ever  grown.  The  season  has  been  one  of  contradictions,  new  conditions 
constantly  arising  of  sufificient  importance  to  vitiate  preconceived  ideas. 
May  frosts  were  followed  by  such  weather  as  operated  to  minimise  their 
importance.  Drought  growing  serious  in  June  and  July  was  relieved  in 
August.  The  usual  June  “  drop  ”  was  a  factor  easily  measured,  but  an 
unusual  July  and  August  “  drop  ”  presents  a  new  factor  whose  import¬ 
ance  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  Dry  weather,  hot  winds,  and  locally 
severe  storms  during  September  made  great  changes  in  the  prospect 
for  winter  fruit.  The  “  windfall  ”  has  been  surprisingly  large,  and  the 
ill  effect  of  rhe  hot  weather  is  becoming  further  apparent  in  marked 
difficulty  in  securing  fruit  of  perfect  keeping  quality.  Especially  is  this 
true  in  Southern  Illinois  and  in  portions  of  Missouri,  while  in  heavy 
laden  orchards  of  Missouri  and  Eastern  Kansas  and  Nebraska  the  extent 
of  the  loss  from  high  winds  could  only  be  appreciated  by  personal 
inspection  of  orchards. 
-  Soil  Protection  in  Winter.— One  material  is  alwayitat 
hand  to  use  in  protecting  garden  plants  in  winter — that  is  the  soil.  And 
it  is  one  of  the  best  materials,  and  for  very  many  plants  all  that  is 
needed.  It  can  be  drawn  up  around  them,  and  over  them 
if  needed,  and  thus  secure  them  against  injury.  The  ground  often 
freezes  2  feet  deep  in  our  northern  climates,  and  thus  must  at  the 
same  time  freeze  the  roots  of  many  plants,  but  as  they  thaw  slowly  and 
gradually,  on  account  of  the  surrounding  soil,  they  remain  uninjured. 
Use  the  soil  for  protection  wherever  it  can  be  employed  to  advantage. 
- Turnip  Sutton’s  Scarlet  Perfection.— I  am  much  pleased 
with  this  variety.  It  comes  into  use  quickly,  and  was  remarkable  during 
the  dry  weather  for  withstanding  attacks  of  the  Turnip  flea  better  than 
Early  Milan  or  Early  Snowball,  which  were  sown  by  its  side.  Whether 
this  partial  immunity  was  owing  to  greater  vital  energy  in  the  seed  is 
open  to  question,  but  I  think  that  was  partly  the  reason  of  its  success. 
Its  colour  should  recommend  it  strongly  to  exhibitors  qf  early  vegetables 
in  collections,  as  being  of  an  attractive  shade  of  red,  it  would  add  much 
to  the  general  effect  of  the  same.  —  W.  H.  Divers,  Belvoir  Castle- 
Gardens,  Grantham. 
- Leicester  Illustrated.  —  We  have  received  a  publication 
entitled  “Illustrated  Leicester  :  Its  History  and  Commerce,”  and  as  the 
title  promises,  have  found  very  much  of  interest  therein.  An  admirably 
written  article  on  the  town,  splendidly  illustrated  by  process  blocks,  is 
of  exceeding  interest,  and  well  worth  reading.  Further  on  we  come  to 
a  photograph  of  Mr.  John  Harrison,  the  well-known  head  of  Messrs- 
Harrison  &  Sons,  the  great  seed  merchants  of  Leicester,  which  is  given 
with  a  well  written  historical  sketch  of  the  firm’s  career  from  its 
inception  in  the  year  17fi4,  the  great  grandfather  of  the  present 
proprietor  being  the  founder,  until  the  present  day.  The  various 
departments  of  the  business  are  described  in  an  interesting  manner,  as 
also  are  the  seed  grounds  Aylestone  and  Westcotes,  with  the  big  ware¬ 
houses  situated  in  the  Welford  Road. 
-  Liverpool  Horticultural  Association.  —  Despite  thfe 
unfavourable  weather  there  was  a  capital  attendance  at  the  meeting 
held  on  Saturday  evening  in  the  William  Brown  Street  Museum.  The 
chair  was  occupied  by  Mr.  T,  White,  who  briefly  introduced  the  first 
subject  of  the  evening — viz.,  “  The  Cultivation  of  the  Asparagus,”  by 
Mr.  Wm.  Tunnington,  Calderstone,  Aigburth,  At  the  outset  he  touched 
on  the  history  and  varieties,  Connover’s  Colossal  being  considered  much 
the  best.  All  points  in  the  culture  of  this  highly  esteemed  vegetable 
were  treated  in  a  masterly  manner,  and  the  discussion  that  ensued  on 
its  conclusion  was  exceedingly  interesting.  The  second  paper  was  the 
guinea  prize  offered  by  the  Association  to  young  gardeners,  the  subject 
being  the  “  Cultivation  of  Winter-flowering  Plants.”  This  was  won  by 
Mr.  Wm.  Disley,  Allerton  Priory  Gardens,  with  a  paper  of  much  excel¬ 
lence,  Votes  of  thanks  to  the  essayists  and  the  Chairman  closed  the 
meeting. — R.  P.  R. 
-  Sleepiness  in  Pears. — Has  any  explanation  ever  been 
afforded  as  to  the  common  tendency  in  Pears  for  decay  to  set  in  from 
the  inside  or  core  ?  In  other  words,  I  would  ask.  What  is  sleepiness,  and 
how  is  it  produced  ?  One  of  the  worst  features  of  this  common  defect 
in  these  fruits  is  that  it  is  undiscernible  until  it  has  become  excessive,, 
hence  fruits  that  externally  seem  to  be  in  excellent  condition  are  when 
cut  found  to  be  half  decayed.  It  is  rare  to  find  this  form  of  decay  in 
Apples,  though  sometimes  there  are  slight  evidences  of  it  found  in 
abnormally  large  fruits  after  they  have  passed  their  best.  But  almost 
invariably  Apples  commence  their  decay  from  the  outside,  and  if  pre¬ 
maturely,  then  from  external  causes.  Now  the  point  to  be  determined 
is  whether  sleepiness  in  Pears  is  natural  decay,  or  is  it  the  product  of 
some  fungoid  attack  ?  I  suggest  this  latter  point  seriously,  because  it  ia 
very  much  the  fashion  now  to  attribute  every  sort  of  vegetable  complaint 
to  the  action  of  some  fungus  primarily.  But  if  it  be  a  fungus,  how  does 
it  get  access  to  the  core  of  the  fruit  ?  Is  it  there  deposited  in  sporadic 
form  whilst  the  bloom  is  expanded,  or  from  the  eye  are  there  passages 
which  enable  fungus  spores  to  pass  direct  to  the  core,  from  whence  the 
decay  invariably  appears  to  originate.  Sleepiness  may  in  some  sense  be 
less  a  decay  than  is  the  decay  termed  rot,  which  manifests  itself  in 
Apples  when  bruised.  Perhaps  it  is  a  mere  change  of  texture  of  flesh 
similar  to  what  takes  place  in  the  Medlar  when  the  flesh  of  that  fruit 
is  converted  from  hardness  into  a  soft  pulp,  which  is  sometimes  termed 
rotten,  but  is  in  reality  in  this  case  mellowness  and  ripeness.  It  would 
be  interesting  to  have  this  sleepiness  in  Pears  scientifically  diagnosed  ; 
although  there  seems  to  be  little  reason  to  anticipate  that  anything  can 
be  done  to  check  it,  still  it  would  be  seme  gain  to  learn  fully  of  what 
was  the  cause  producing  it. — A.  D, 
