October  20  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
307: 
earth,  but  with  warmth  a^d  light  they  are  carried  upwards  and  dissipated, 
to  the  advantage  of  town  vegetation.  Hence  atmospheric  purity  is  the 
reason  of  the  brilliancy  and  clearness  of  the  colours  of  dowers  grown  in  the 
country  as  contrasted  with  those  grown  in  less  favourable  surroundings. 
But  water — Nature’s  gift  to  all  mankind— has  indeed  at  times  been 
very  short  in  its  supply  to  us,  some  days  during  the  excessive  heat  we 
were  almost  without  any  ;  but  our  troubles  in  this  respect  have  been 
small  when  compared  with  persons  living  in  crowded  streets  and  alleys. 
I  do  not  for  one  moment  wish  to  imply  that  the  East  End  of  London 
is  worse  off  for  water  than  numerous  country  places.  But  there  is  a 
vast  contrast  between  the  working  classes  occupying  a  house  in  the 
country  and  persons  in  the  same  social  station  living  in  London.  The 
metropolitan  inhabitant  is  accustomed  to  have  water  brought  to  his 
door  ;  yea  !  into  his  living  rooms,  while  persons  residing  in  remote 
country  places  have  to  rely  on  a  well  or  running  stream,  often  at  a 
great  distance.  Necessity  in  this  latter  case  compels  the  country  resi¬ 
dent  to  be  always  provided  with  sufficient  pails  or  other  storage  vessels 
fcr  their  wants  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  indigent  Londoner,  by  the 
“constant  supply”  custom,  has  no  such  receptacles  to  meet  a  time  of 
scarcity,  and  hence  the  trouble  and  misery  when  a  limited  supply  is  given 
for  a  few  hours  only. 
It  has  indeed  been  piteous  to  see  the  poorer  classes  struggling  and 
crushing  behind  water  vans,  with  vessels  as  varied  in  their  character  as 
the  pebbles  on  the  sea  beach,  and  many  of  them  looking  scarcely  fit  to 
contain  water  for  consumption.  London  is  London  in  its  entirety,  so  far 
as  its  habitations  are  concerned,  but  unfortunately  the  water  supply  is 
divided,  the  inhabitants  of  one  district  having  suffering  enforced  upon 
them  by  want  of  water  while  other  localities  can  boast  of  plenty,  but 
cannot  give  because  the  various  services  are  separate  and  unconnected. 
London  in  this  respect  has  much  to  learn. — J.  W.  Moorman,  Superintendent, 
Victoria  Park ,  E, 
[While  the  scarcity  of  water  in  the  Victoria  Park  district  of  London 
has  been  lamentable,  we  are  credibly  informed  that  it  could  only 
be  had  recently  at  a  cost  of  4d.  a  pail  in  a  district  in  Sussex.  Victoria 
Park  was  indeed  gay  a  week  ago  with  the  flowers  above  named,  but  now 
in  process  of  removal  ;  but  Mr.  Moorman,  however,  omits  to  mention  how 
much  of  the  display  was  due  to  early-flowering  Chrysanthemums,  trans¬ 
ferred  when  in  flower  from  nursery  quarters  to  beds  and  borders.  Gentle 
showers  have  also  brought  a  tinge  of  green  to  the  grass  that  was  pre¬ 
viously  brown  and  sere.  The  three  thousand  Chrysanthemums  in  pots 
are  fortunately  late,  and  will  succeed  under  glass  the  present  show 
outside,  the  lateness  being  due  to  the  collapse  of  many  crown  buds 
under  the  intense  heat  and  the  consequent  retention  of  terminals.  Though 
“big”  blooms  will  not  be  absent,  the  general  display  will  be  characterised 
by  brightness  and  refinement — a  not  unwelcome  change  from  the  massive 
sameness  usually  presented  by  all  the  shows  in  the  London  parks.] 
PLUM  RIVERS’  PRIMATE. 
We  give  an  illustration  (fig.  54)  of  this  handsome  Plum,  which 
received  an  award  of  merit  from  the  Fruit  Committee  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  on  Tuesday,  11th  inst.  Relative  to  this  and  other 
late  varieties,  Mr.  T.  Francis  Rivers  writes  : — “This  is  a  large  bright 
red  fruit,  spotted  with  light  specks,  the  flesh  is  firm  and  pleasant,  freestone, 
not  quite  a  first-class  dessert  fruit,  but  very  good  for  the  kitchen  ;  like 
the  Monarch,  well  adapted  for  drying,  and,  owiDg  to  its  late  season, 
valuable  for  market.  It  usually  ripens  about  the  second  week  in  October, 
according  to  the  season.  October  is  being  gradually  furnished  with  good 
Plums.  For  dessert  fruit  we  have  Reine  Claude  de  Bavay,  Late  Trans¬ 
parent,  Grand  Duke,  Late  Orange,  and  Coe’s  Golden  Drop  ;  and  for  the 
kitchen  Monarch,  Primate,  Wyedale,  Late  Orleans,  and  September 
Beauty.” 
LOUGHBOROUGH  GARDENERS’  SOCIETY. 
The  Loughborough  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association’s  second  annual  exhibition  of  hardy  fruits  was,  by  permission 
of  the  Mayor,  held  in  the  Corn  Exchange  on  Friday,  October  7th.  The 
Association  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  magnificent  display  of  fruits 
brought  together,  upwards  of  400  dishes  being  staged.  Considering  there  are 
no  prizes  or  certificates  given,  this  must  be  considered  an  excellent  display, 
and  encouraging  to  the  Committee,  the  object  of  these  exhibitions  being 
to  compare  notes  of  merit,  rectify  any  errors  in  the  nomenclature  of  the 
little  or  unknown  fruits,  and  to  bring  prominently  before  the  public  the 
most  useful  varieties  to  grow. 
A  7  P.M.  Mr.  C.  C.  Hurst,  F.L.S.,  gave  a  lecture  upon  the  “  Origin 
and  Improvement  of  our  Hardy  Garden  Fruits.”  The  chair  was  taken  by 
the  Mayor,  in  the  absence  of  the  President  of  the  Association.  There 
was  a  large  and  appreciative  audience  to  listen  to  the  lecturer’s  remarks. 
He  referred  to  the  early  cultivation  of  fruits  in  prehistoric  times,  and  by 
the  Greeks  and  Romans,  and  how  the  varieties  of  Apricots,  Peaches, 
Nectarines,  had  followed  the  paths  of  conquerors  of  this  country,  and 
detailing  the  improvements  of  latter  years  particularly  ;  so  was  this 
apparent  of  Apples  and  Pears.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded 
the  lecturer,  and  the  Mayor  for  presiding.  This  was  the  opening  night 
of  the  Association’s  winter  session,  and  a  most  profitable  and  instructive 
evening  was  spent  and  enjoyed  by  all. — D.  R. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Crotons  in  Frames. 
Amongst  the  many  stove  plants  now  in  cultivation  for  table  decora¬ 
tion  and  other  purposes,  these  old  favourites  still  hold  their  own,  more 
especially  when  they  retain  their  foliage  down  to  the  pots,  and  are  of  a 
high  colour,  which  is  most  desired  in  all  foliage  plants.  A  high  temperature 
is  essential  for  their  culture.  Those  with  a  limited  space  are  at  a  dis¬ 
advantage,  having  to  devote  their  stove,  or  warm  house,  to  a  host  of  other 
plants  during  the  summer  ;  a  hotbed  made  of  stable  litter  and  leaves 
well  mixed,  using  an  ordinary  frame  of  one  or  two  lights,  is  a  capital 
substitute  for  either  the  stove  or  propagating  house.  In  this  way  we  have 
this  season  grown  two  dozen  plants  from  cuttings  rooted  last  antumn, 
wintered  in  small  pots,  and  cuttings  rooted  early  this  spring  which  were 
potted  the  end  of  March,  and  placed  in  hotbeds.  Coal  ashes  were'used 
to  prevent  worms  working  in  the  pots. 
The  bed  being  naturally  moist,  they  do  not  dry  so  fast,  while,  added 
to  this,  they  require  less  syringing,  and  are  free  from  the  attacks  of 
spider  or  thrips,  which  are  their  worst  enemies.  Maintain  a  |  night- 
temperature  of  65°  if  possible.  Owing  to  this  somewhat  tropical  season, 
we  have  kept  up  the  temperature  by  lining  the  frame  w  ith  refuse  from, 
the  garden  and  pleasure  grounds  ;  but  had  the  season  been  otherwise  . 
we  should  have  had  to  resort  to  stable  litter.  I  ought  to  mention  than 
Fig.  54.— Plum,  Rivers’  Primate. 
a  little  air  must  be  admitted  during  the  hottest  hours  of  the  day. 
When  the  plants  are  a  suitable  size,  and  before  moving  them  to  a  stove, 
admit  more  air,  so  as  to  harden  a  little,  place  close  to  the  glass,  and  in. 
lightest  possible  place,  so  as  to  give  colour.  Some  of  our  varieties  treated 
thus  are  Reidi,  Disraeli,  Warreni,  and  Weismani,  most  of  them  being  in 
large  60-pots,  in  bush  form,  and  very  suitable  for  the  table.  In  addition, 
other  plants  have  done  equally  well,  such  as  Dracaenas,  Pandanus,  and 
Euphorbias. — Parvo. 
Bouvardias. 
These  beautiful  plants  ought  to  be  more  largely  grown  than  is  the 
case  at  the  present  time.  The  genus  comprises  some  of  our  best  autumn 
and  winter-flowering  plants,  and  at  that  time  are  almost  indispensable  for 
cut  flowers  and  decoration.  I  hope  the  following  notes  will  be  of  some 
use  to  other  young  gardeners.  Propagation  is  easily  done  by  taking 
young  growths  or  root  cuttings.  When  the  plants  have  finished  flowering 
in  the  spring  gradually  reduce  the  supply  of  water  till  the  leaves  are 
dead,  then  cut  the  growths  back  and  place  them  in  a  warm  pit  with  a 
gentle  bottom  heat,  supplying  the  plants  with  water  when  required,  and 
syringe  twice  a  day  to  encourage  them  to  break. 
When  the  young  growths  are  about  inch  in  length  cuttings  should 
be  chosen.  They  must  be  taken  off  with  a  heel  and  placed  round  the 
sides  of  3-inch  pots,  which  have  previously  been  filled  with  a  compost 
consisting  of  fibrous  loam,  peat,  and  leaf  soil  in  equal  proportions,  with  a 
good  sprinkling  of  silver  sand.  Afterwards  place  the  pots  containing  the 
cuttings  in  a  close  frame  or  propagating  pit,  keeping  close  till  roots  are 
emitted,  then  give  a  little  air,  which  can  be  increased  every  day,  until 
the  plants  are  ready  to  go  on  a  shelf  near  the  glass. 
Some  growers  prefer  root  cuttings.  These  are  obtained  by  shaking 
the  old  plants  out  of  the  pots  after  they  have  been  gradually  dried,  and, 
selecting  the  thickest  roots,  cut  them  into  pieces  about  2  inches  in  length. 
Lay  these  in  pans,  using  a  similar  compost  to  that  above  advocated, 
cover  the  cuttings  with  about  half  an  inch  of  soil,  and  place  them  in  a 
propagating  pit,  affording  the  same  attention  as  the  stem  cuttings. 
When  rooting  has  taken  place  pot  singly  in  small  60-size  pots,  using 
the  same  compost  as  before,  standing  the  pots  on  a  shelf  near  the  glass  in 
a  house  with  a  temperature  ranging  from  55°  to  60°.  As  soon  as  the  young 
