124 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  18,  1898. 
Any  of  the  early  specimens  showing  bloom  may  be  placed  at  the 
cooler  end  of  a  conservatory  or  greenhouse.  It  is  not  advisable  to 
feed  the  autumn-blooming  plants  freely,  as  the  flowers  will  endure 
much  longer  if  developed  with  the  soil  in  sweet  moist  condition  from 
clear  water  only. 
The  principal  insect  pest  infesting  Cinerarias  is  green  fly,  and  the 
best  method  of  keeping  the  plants  free  from  attack  is  an  application  of 
XL  All  fumigating  compound.  Give  the  plants  plenty  of  room  with 
their  heads  near  the  glass.  Look  out  for  slugs,  which  attach  them¬ 
selves  to  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  in  the  moisture  of  autumn,  and 
soon  permanently  disfigure  the  foliage. 
Weak  animal  manures  and  soot  water  are  excellent  stimulants  for 
Cinerarias,  commencing  to  give  them  only  when  the  pots  become  filled 
with  roots  and  the  food  in  the  soil  is  consequently  all  but  exhausted, 
or  soon  will  be  by  the  developing  flower  stems.  Light  sprinklings  of 
artificial  manure  may  be  given  as  a  change.  The  plants  at  this  stage 
ought  never  to  suffer  for  even  a  short  time  by  want  of  water.  Shade 
from  strong  sunshine  assists  the  bloom  in  remaining  fresh  for  a  longer 
period  than  otherwise. — E.  D.  S. 
EXPERIENCE  WITH  STRAWBERRIES. 
Mr.  II.  Richards  has  done  his  part  well  in  inviting  the  many  able 
correspondents  of  our  faithful  old  friend,  the  Journal  of  Horticulture, 
to  record  their  experience  of  the  varieties  of  Strawberries  which 
are  cultivated  at  the  present  time.  I  have  gained  many  lessons  of 
instruction  and  advice  from  past  and  present  writers,  and  the  only 
way  that  I  can  think  of  in  repaying  those  cultivators  is  to  add  my 
mi  to  of  experience  for  what  it  is  worth,  when  I  can. 
Varieties  of  Strawberries. 
The  first  1  will  mention  is  that  capital  variety  in  many  districts, 
Sir  Joseph  Paxton.  With  me  it  grows  well,  but  does  not  fruit  worthy 
of  the  name.  I  have  never  known  Sir  Joseph  fail  anywhere  before. 
I  have  seen  large  fields  of  Paxtons  in  Kent  bearing  such  crops  of 
fine  luscious  fruit  that  would  put  scores  of  private  gardeners  to  shame. 
It  is  rather  singular  to  have  such  varieties  as  Thury,  Keens,  Napiers, 
and  La  Grosse  Sugr^e,  loaded  with  fruit,  while  Paxtons  are  practically 
barren.  Such  is  the  case  here  both  within  the  garden  walls  and  outside 
them. 
Commander  is  another  peculiar  variety  with  me  ;  once  seen  when 
in  flower  it  will  not  be  easy  to  forget,  as  the  flower  trusses  rise  so 
clearly  above  the  foliage.  I  tried  it  two  years.  The  plants  produced 
abundance  of  flowers,  but  through  being  so  much  exposed  to  frost, 
wind,  and  sun,  we  did  not  obtain  anything  like  a  full  crop;  what 
fruits  did  set  and  ripen  were  of  very  good  flavour. 
Black  Prince  and  King  of  the  Earlies  are  heavy  croppers,  but  the 
fruit  is  tco  small.  Amateur,  James  Veitch,  and  Noble  are  good 
croppers,  producing  large  fruit,  but  of  inferior  flavour.  They  had  to  go 
to  the  rubbish  heap.  Sir  Charles  Napier  had  finely  coloured  fruits,  and 
plenty  of  them,  but  the  flavour  was  much  too  acid.  Birds  did  not 
steal  Napier  while  any  other  varieties  were  to  be  had.  Elton  Pine 
does  not  bear  well,  British  Queen  is  not  worth  troubling  with  here, 
and  Dr.  Hogg  does  not  produce  half  of  a  crop,  and  the  fruit  is  very 
light  in  colour. 
T  grew  Newton  Seedling  many  years  ago,  but  not  here ;  it  is  an 
immense  cropper  and  first-class  for  jam.  La  Grosse  Sugree  is  a  good 
Strawberry  of  first-class  flavour,  and  a  good  forcer  in  pots,  but  appears 
to  be  losing  ground  as  a  standard  variety.  Keen’s  Seedling  is  a  very 
indifferent  cropper,  some  plants  being  loaded  with  fruit,  others  with 
runners  instead  of  fruit.  Latest  of  All  crops  well  here ;  it  is  not  a 
strong  grower.  Unser  Fritz  does  not  appear  to  be  a  heavy  cropper. 
Waterloo  is  a  grand  cropper,  producing  large,  handsome,  claret-coloured 
fruits,  Avhich  make  splendid  jam.  It  is  not  a  strong  grower,  there¬ 
fore  may  be  planted  more  closely  than  many  varieties ;  Monarch  is  a 
fit  e  grower,  but  has  produced  little  fruit  this  year  from  good  plants 
put  out  last  August.  We  also  procured  Veitch’s  Perfection,  fifty 
plants,  but  lost  about  eighteen  of  them  alter  planting.  Those  which 
remained  were  covered  with  flowers  in  May,  but  we  picked  them  off 
to  give  strength  to  produce  good  runners. 
President  is  a  grand  all-round  variety  here.  It  is  good  as  a 
grower,  cropper,  and  in  flavour.  Royal  Sovereign  has  many  good 
points  in  its  favour,  but  has  some  defects.  When  the  early  fruits  are 
on  the  point  of  ripening,  several  of  the  largest  decay  near  the  foot¬ 
stalks,  causing  much  loss.  The  decay  may  be  only  local  ;  I  have  not 
read  of  it  in  the  gardening  papers.  Another  fault  is  that  7  to  10  per 
cent,  of  the  plants  become  stunted  pigmies  with  leafstalks  2  to 
4  inches  long,  not  producing  fruit,  or  if  any  of  little  use.  The  first 
dozen  plants  that  I  procured  had  two  of  such  failures  amongst  them. 
1  dug  out  the  two  plants  and  burnt  them,  propagating  only  from  the 
ten  plants  left.  With  care  in  selection  healthy  plants  are  obtainable. 
Forman’s  Excelsior  is  an  excellent  midseason  to  late  variety  for  this 
district,  bearing  good  crops  of  first-class  fruit.  The  best  of  all  varieties 
this  year  is  Countess,  which  has  points  that  very  few  varieties  possess. 
It  is  a  dwarf  grower,  heavy  cropper  of  large  wedge-shaped  fruit  of 
splendid  flavour,  and  the  firm  fruits  travel  well.  Countess  will  sell  in 
the  market  or  shop  while,  many  varieties  would  scar  ely  be  noticed  ; 
its  finely  coloured  fruits  always  command  attention.  I  first  planted 
this  excellent  variety  seven  years  ago  in  a  Kentish  garden,  and  it 
is,  therefore,  not  quite  so  modern  as  some  people  imagine. 
A  good  selection  for  this  district  would  be  the  following  varieties  : 
— Countess,  Forman’s  Excelsior,  Royal  Sovereign,  President,  Waterloo, 
and  Latest  of  All.  For  early  work  we  have  not  a  variety  to  equal 
Royal  Sovereign. 
Cultivation. 
I  have  an  idea  that  too  much  nitrogenous  manure  is  often  recom¬ 
mended  for  Strawberry  growing.  Our  soil  is  rather  light — the  top 
12  inches,  the  garden  having  been  made  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years.  There  are  4  to  6  feet  of  hard  red  clay  underneath  the  surface 
soil,  and  beneath  the  clay  is  chalk.  The  water  in  the  well  is 
74  feet  from  the  surface.  The  garden  is  600  or  700  yards  from  the 
River  Ilumber,  five  and  a  half  miles  on  the  west  side  of  Hull.  1 
believe  if  we  applied  more  phosphate  and  less  nitrogenous  manures  we 
should  have  less  foliage  and  more  fruit.  Apply  the  nitrogen  wheD 
the  flower  trusses  show  themselves.  As  soils  vary  so  must  the  treat¬ 
ment.  For  producing  a  good  crop  of  Strawberries  we  bastard-trench  a 
piece  of  ground  for  the  purpose,  working  in  a  fair  amount  of  manure 
•during  the  process.  We  like  to  have  this  work  completed  in  February, 
and  allow  the  land  to  lie  rough  for  a  month  ;  then  distribute  a  small 
dressing  of  decayed  manure,  and  plant  early  Potatoes  in  rows  2£  feet 
asunder,  forking  over  the  ground,  and  planting  at  the  same  time.  No 
system  is  better.  When  the  Potatoes  are  ready  for  hoeing  apply  the 
following  artificial  manure  : — Two  parts  kainit  and  one  part  nitrate  of 
soda  at  the  rate  of  3  cwt.  per  acre.  Keep  the  ground  free  from  weeds, 
and  do  not  spare  the  cultivator. 
By  the  first  week  in  August  the  Potatoes  will  be  cleared  off ;  then 
level  the  ground,  give  a  dressing  of  bonemeal,  or  part  bonemeal  and 
part  basic  slag,  8  cwt.  per  acre.  Work  in  with  a  coarse  rake,  and 
"-plant  the  Strawberries.  Three  feet  apart  will  not  be  too  much  for 
rows  of  Royal  Sovereign ;  for  such  varieties  as  Waterloo  2  feet  will 
be  found  sufficient.  After  planting  mulch  lightly  with  short  manure, 
and  keep  the  hoe  at  work  if  weeds  make  their  appearance.  My  advice 
is,  Do  not  grow  too  many  varieties  of  Strawberries,  but  get  to  know 
those  which  are  the  most  suitable  for  the  position,  and  grow  them 
plentifully. — Geo.  Picker,  Ifesslewood  Gardens. 
LAGERSTRCEMIA  INDICA. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  useful  flowering  shrubs  in  cultivation  suitable 
for  growing  in  a  warm  greenhouse  or  conservatory,  its  style-of  growth 
being  decidedly  ornamental,  while  its  flowering  qualifications  leave  nothing 
to  be  desired.  It  is  of  eastern  Asiatic  origin,  and  is  one  of  our  oldest 
indoor  plants,  having  been  introduced  into  English  gardens  in  1759. 
Although  such  an  old  plant  it  is  by  no  means  common,  large  bushes  being 
rarely  met  with.  It  can  he  grown  well  in  pots,  but  is  seen  to  much  better 
advantage  when  planted  in  a  border  of  light  rich  loam  on  good  drainage. 
Reing  deciduous  it  will  require  a  rest  during  the  winter,  little  if  any  water 
being  given  during  that  time.  It  should  be  started  in  March,  and  at  that 
time  all  the  growths  must  be  shortened  to  within  two  or  three  eyes  of  the  _ 
main  branches  ;  by  this  means  strong  shoots  are  formed  which  will  grow 
to  a  length  of  2£  or  8  feet  before  flowering. 
The  growths  are  thickly  clothed  with  small,  bright  green,  ovate  leaves. 
The  inflorescence  is  terminal,  and  forms  a  largo  graceful  panicle  often  a 
foot  or  more  long  and  containing  100  or  more  flowers.  The  flowers  are 
bright  pink,  an  inch  across,  and  beautifully  fringed,  the  fringing  probably 
giving  rise  to  the  name  of  “  Crape  Flower,”  which  is  sometimes  applied 
to  this  plant. 
When  grown  in  pots  it  should  be  rested  all  the  winter  und  potted  into 
a  rich  compost  when  growth  is  nicely  started  in  spring.  As  a  rule  the 
inflorescences  are  not  so  fine  when  plants  are  grown  in  pots  as  when 
grown  in  a  border.  A  figure  of  a  small  inflorescence  may  be  seen  in  the 
‘•Botanical  Magazine,”  t.  405.  Two  plants  10  feet  high  and  8  feet  in 
diameter  are  at  the  present  time  in  full  flower  in  the  temperate  house  at 
Kew.  A  plant  of  the  variety  known  as  L.  indica  elegans  may  also  be 
s*  en.  This  is  a  rather  stronger  grower,  and  produces  flowers  darker  in 
colour  than  the  type.  A  figure  of  this  is  given  in  Paxton’s  “Magazine 
of  Botany,”  vol.  xiv.,  p.  269.  An  intermediate  temperature  is  best  suited 
to  the  requirements  of  this  plant. — W  D. 
Campanula  pyramidalis  at  the  Drill  Hall.  —  In  our 
report  of  the  last  meeting  held  in  the  Drill  Hull,  we  omitted  to  make 
any  reference  to  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  groups  in  the  Show. 
This  was  composed  of  the  blue  and  white  pyramidal  Bellflower 
Campanula  pyramidalis  and  C.  p.  alba,  and  it  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
G.  Wythes,  gardener  to  Earl  Percy,  Syon  House,  Brentford.  The 
plants  were  grandly  grown,  and  made  a  charming  picture.  We  noted 
amongst  the  several  specimens  were  some  of  the  dwarf  strain  that 
Mr.  Wythes  raised,  and  which  he  has  found  so  valuable  for  decorative 
purposes. 
