402 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  2,  1898. 
on  the  face  of  the  trench  about  4  inches  asunder.  Cover  in  a  portion 
of  the  soil  over  the  roots,  making  it  firm,  and  apply  a  soaking  of  water, 
then  fill  up  with  the  remaining  soil.  Treat  each  row  in  the  same  way. 
Little,  if  any,  water  will  be  required  afterwards.  Of  course  transplant¬ 
ing  may  be  effected  with  a  trowel  if  the  soil  is  sufficiently  moist,  as 
new  rootlets  will  soon  form  therein.  The  only  culture  required  is  to 
keep  down  weeds,  stirring  also  the  soil  several  times  until  the  plants 
have  advanced  so  that  this  will  be  impossible. 
The  result  of  transplanting  is  to  give  a  fresh  impetus  to  the  production 
of  fibrous  roots,  and  as  each  plant  is  favoured  with  room  to  develop,  side 
shoots  extend,  forming  in  due  course  the  compact  bushy  plants  sought 
for.  Such  move  easily  in  autumn  for  planting  in  permanent  situations  in 
beds,  borders,  vases,  and  window  boxes. 
Por  o-eneral  purposes  it  is  best  to  sow  a  packet  of  seed  containing  a 
mixture'of  all  the  best  single  varieties.  The  market  variety  is  the  blood 
red  or  dark  brown.  Sutton’s  Dwarf  Bedding  varieties  are  remarkable 
for  their  dwarf  compact  habit,  growing  about  6  inches  high,  colours 
brown  and  yellow.  For  an  early  display  of  Wallflowers  through  the 
autumn  and  winter,  Sutton’s  Earliest  of  All  is  the  best  variety  I  have 
tried.  The  colour  is  yellow. 
Double  Wallflowers  are  more  ornamental  than  useful,  and  if  these  are 
cultivated  seed  of  a  good  reliable  strain  of  double  German  ought  to  be 
procured.  Plants  from  such  strains  are  invariably  dwarf  and  compact  in 
habit,  and  produce  fine  spikes  about  a  foot  in  length  well  furnished  with 
flowers  of  a  Balsam-like  character,  sweet-scented,  and  of  various  shades 
of  colour.  Give  the  plants  moderately  rich  soil  in  an  open  position, 
affording  slight  support  to  the  spikes  as  they  come  into  bloom. — E.  D.  S. 
Weather  in  London. — Holiday  keepers  can  congratulate  them¬ 
selves  on  having  had  comparatively  fine  weather  for  Whitsuntide. 
Though  it  was  dull  and  threatening  at  times,  no  more  than  light  showers 
fell  in  the  metropolis  between  Thursday  and  Whit-Monday  evening,  when 
rain  fell  steadily,  while  at  frequent  intervals  the  sun  shone  pleasantly.  On 
Tuesday  it  was  wet  almost  the  whole  of  the  day,  but  Wednesday  opened 
brilliantly,  but  heavy  rain  fell  later. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — Rain,  which  fell  sparingly  on 
Tuesday  morning,  was  beginning  to  be  much  wished  for  after  a  week 
of  rather  uugenial  weather.  Several  of  the  nights  were  decidedly 
frosty,  and  for  several  days  a  strong  drought,  with  bright  sunshine  and 
cold  high  winds,  prevailed.  Rumours  of  considerable  damage  to  bush 
and  other  fruits  are  heard. — B.  D.,  8.  Perthshire. 
- -  Adonis  VERNALis,-:r-It  is  doubtful  if  there  is  a  more  interesting 
or  showy  hardy  plant  in  blossom  on  the  rockery  or  in  the  herbaceous 
border  in  April,  yet  how  seldom  do  we  see  the  plant  at  all  in  an  ordinary 
garden.  One  would  imagine,  from  its  apparent  scarcity,  that  it  was  new, 
whereas  it  was  introduced  as  far  back  as  the  year  1629.  Although  it 
will  succeed  in  the  herbaceous  border,  its  proper  place  appears  to  be  in  a 
fissure  between  two  pieces  of  rock,  where  it  can  obtain  a  deep  rooting 
space,  deriving  the  necessary  amount  of  moisture  without  stagnation. 
Propagation  is  effected  by  division  of  the  roots,  but  it  is  not  advisable  to 
interfere  more  with  the  plant  than  is  absolutely  necessary,  as  it  does  not 
increase  in  bulk  rapidly,  although  it  will  flower  freely  annually.  When 
in  bud  the  back  of  each  petal  exhibits  a  dark -coloured  patch,  which  is  not 
discernible  when  the  flowers  are  fully  expanded.  It  is  the  lustre  of 
colour  that  renders  this  so  charming  a  plant  for  the  hardy  garden. —  E.  M. 
-  Radishes. — There  was  at  the  Temple  Show  a  remarkable 
display  of  Radishes,  but  in  so  many  cases  were  the  roots  quite  past 
eating  value,  and  too  large.  There  is  an  almost  interminable  variety 
now  in  commerce,  early  and  late,  olive,  round,  and  tapering,  red, 
white,  carmine,  purple,  and  white-tipped,  short-tipped,  and  long-tipped, 
all  very  nice  in  their  season  if  pulled  when  quite  young,  but  if  not, 
then  absolutely  worthless.  These  roots  when  shown  in  this  way  should 
be  set  up  only  when  just  fit  to  eat,  and  then  alone.  If  past  the  crisp 
stage  they  should  be  left  at  home.  It  is  because  pulled  so  large  that 
we  rarely  get  in  the  market  at  this  time  of  the  year  really  good  edible 
Radishes.  Then  how  few  varieties  is  it  needful  to  grow.  The  first 
Early  Olive,  white  and  red,  the  pretty  white-tipped  French  Breakfast, 
the  good  Turnip-rooted  red  and  white,  and  finally,  if  desired.  Wood’s 
Frame  or  the  Long  Red.  These  varieties  satisfy  most  ordinary  require¬ 
ments  in  private  gardens. — Observer. 
-  Serious  Loss  of  Orchids  from  the  Temple  Show. — 
We  are  informed  that  at  the  Temple  Show  Mons.  Jules  Hye  of  Ghent 
lost  the  very  valuable  Orchids  he  exhibited,  and  no  trace  can  be  ascer¬ 
tained  of  their  whereabouts.  They  were  seen  by  him  in  the  tent  soon 
after  9  P.M.  on  the  Friday,  but  they  had  disappeared  by  ten  o’clock,  and 
he  is  naturally  in  great  distress.  We  understand  that  a  reward  will  be 
paid  for  their  recovery. 
— —  Temple  Show  Awards. — In  the  list  of  medals  and  cups  that 
were  awarded  to  exhibitors  at  this  show,  we  omitted  to  state  that  Messrs. 
R.  Wallace  &  Co.,  Colchester,  received  a  silver-gilt  Banksian  medal  for 
their  beautiful  collection  of  hardy  flowers. 
-  Asparagus  at  the  Temple  Show.  —  As  a  reader  of  your 
Journal  for  a  number  of  years,  I  must  ask  you  to  correct  an  error  of 
your  reference  to  Asparagus  at  the  Temple  Gardens.  The  large  bundle 
you  refer  to  as  Castle  Ashby  produce  was  exhibited  by  me,  and  I  was 
awarded  a  silver  medal  for  the  same.  If  you  refer  to  your  Journal  of 
1894,  June  13th,  you  will  find  you  described  my  exhibits  of  Asparagus  as 
splendid,  and  such  as  were  seldom  seen. — Walter  Godfrey,  Colchester. 
[We  have  more  than  once  or  twice  admired  the  splendid  produce  of  Mr. 
Godfrey,  and  thank  him  for  his  note.  Our  only  desire  is  to  be  correct.] 
-  Broccolis  at  the  Temple.— When  anyone  is  engaged  in 
the  work  of  reporting  such  a  show  as  was  that  at  the  Temple  last  week, 
he  has  in  the  rush  little  time  to  reflect  or  talk  ;  but  during  the  second  day 
a  leisurely  look  round  enables  the  reporter  to  see  and  note  many  things 
that  the  first  day  in  the  hurry  could  not  be  dwelt  upon.  Thus  it  was, 
that  looking  over  the  collections  of  vegetables  I  overheard  the  remark, 
“The  Broccolis  all  have  different  names,  yet  they  are  all  just  alike.” 
That  remark  induced  me  to  look  over  these  Broccolis  rather  more  care¬ 
fully,  and  I  found  nine  diverse  names,  yet  there  were  hardly  more  than 
two  varieties.  Late  Queen  and  Model,  shown.  How  much  easier  to  thus 
manufacture  names  than  real  varieties.  The  Council  of  the  R.H.S.  is 
prompt  to  exclude  from  hardy  cut  flowers  any  duplicate  bunches  ;  it  is 
much  more  tolei  ant  with  vegetables,  some  things  coming  in  collections 
over  and  over  again.  Let  us  have  these  collections  of  vegetables  and 
fruit  also  by  all  means,  but  let  everything  be  shown  under  their  true 
names,  and  then  only  of  the  finest  quality. — Observer. 
-  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.— A  meeting  was  held  on 
May  26th,  when  the  following  special  receipts  were  reported  —viz.,  his 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Rutland  per  Mr.  Divers  £5  ;  Sir  R.  Hargreaves 
Rogers.  £5  5s, ;  the  Hugh  Low  Cricket  Club,  sale  of  bats  and  halls,  £3  7s. ; 
Mr.  Witty,  Nunhead  Cemetery,  box  in  show  houses,  £1  15s.  6d.  ;  Francis 
Robinson,  £1  ;  proceeds  sale  of  gold  ring  received  from  an  “Anonymous 
Lover  of  Flowers.”  £1  6s. 
-  Beckenham  Horticultural  Society. — We  have  received 
the  schedule  of  the  summer  show  of  this  active  society,  which  is 
advertised  to  take  place  on  July  27th.  It  is  a  good  and  comprehensive 
schedule,  with  classes  for  almost  everything  in  season,  and  fifty-nine 
of  these  classes  “  open  to  all.”  There  are  others  for  amateurs,  cottagers, 
and  children,  the  whole  numbering  114  ;  a  diversified  display  may  there¬ 
fore  be  expected  in  the  Recreation  Grounds  on  the  date  named. 
-  The  National  Co-operative  Flower  Show. — The  new 
schedule  of  this  annual  show  has  just  been  issued.  The  prices  are  again 
increased,  and  amount  to  over  £350  in  cash,  besides  medals,  framed  certi¬ 
ficates,  and  other  awards.  The  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Associa¬ 
tion  contributes  over  £200  to  the  prize  list,  and  the  Crystal  Palace 
Company  £150.  The  show  is  fixed  to  be  held  on  Friday,  the  19th,  and 
Saturday,  the  20th  of  August,  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  concurrently  with 
the  Great  National  Co-operative  Festival.  Mr.  G.  Waugh  again  acts  as 
Hon.  Director  of  the  Show,  and  Mr.  E.  O.  Greening  as  Hon,  Secretary. 
Copies  of  the  schedule  may  be  obtained  free  of  charge  on  application  to 
the  Hon.  Secretary,  at  3,  Agar  Street,  Charing  Cross,  W.C. 
-  Laxton’s  Leader  Strawberry  for  Forcing^  —  Royal 
Sovereign  is  known  as  a  general  favourite  for  forcing,  and  well  deserves 
its  reputation.  Laxton’s  Leader,  a  newer  Strawberry,  has  been  forced 
here  under  exactly  the  same  treatment,  and  side  by  side  with  Royal 
Sovereign  has  come  in  ten  days  earlier,  producing  larger  fruits  and  of 
better  flavour,  many  of  the  fruits  exceeding  an  ounce  each  in  weight. 
President  follows,  but  has  not  the  clean,  healthy  habit  of  either  of  the 
above  varieties  ;  it  is,  moreover,  subject  to  mildew,  and  the  fruits  are 
smaller,  yet  its  flavour  is  superior  to  them  both. — John  Walker, 
Fairfield  Gardens.  Cobham. 
