314 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
October  27,  1898, 
any  morning  throughout  the  spring  months,  and  sometimes  it  comes 
when  least  expected. 
As  I  have  previously  intimated,  these  fruits  are  grown  mostly  on 
east  and  west  walls  here,  less  than  half  a  dozen  occupy  a  southern 
position,  and  these  I  believe  to  have  been  planted  where  failures 
occurred  with  Peaches  and  Apricots,  or  with  the  object  of  getting 
early  fruits  of  those  planted.  Naturally,  one  would  suppose  that  the 
greater  gain  in  sunshine  obtained  from  a  southern  aspect  would  tend 
to  a  much  earlier  maturation  of  the  crop ;  but  in  the  case  of  Plums, 
or  at  any  rate  of  the  varieties  so  favoured,  I  have  failed  to  find  these 
conditions  obtain.  Their  removal  has  for  some  time  been  decided  on, 
and  their  places  will  be  utilised  for  Peaches  or  Apricots. 
Jefferson  and  Kirke’s  are  varieties  duplicated  on  the  three  aspects, 
and  though  it  is  scarcely  credible  it  is  none  the  less  true,  that  ripe 
Plums  have  been  gathered  almost  annually  from  east  and  west 
walls  before  they  were  ready  on  the  trees  occupying  a  southern 
aspect.  This  season  they  were  cleared  from  all  other  trees  before 
many  of  those  on  the  south  were  ripe.  The  only  point  scored  is  in 
colour  gained  in  the  yellow  variety,  which  so  far  as  this  and  size  are 
concerned,  might  be  all  that  can  be  wished.  The  black  variety  was 
neither  better  nor  worse  from  the  south  than  from  trees  on  east  and 
west  walls,  so  that  I  would  neither  adopt  nor  advocate  the  planting  of 
Plums  on  a  south  aspect  unless  it  were  proved  that  Peaches,  Nectarines, 
Figs,  or  Apricots  were  failures  from  causes  over  which  the  gardener  in 
charge  had  no  control,  or  where  a  sufficiency  of  such  fruits  was  forth¬ 
coming  without  recourse  to  open  air  culture. 
My  experience  thus  related  may  be  an  isolated  one,  but  when 
Plums  of  all  kinds  grow  and  fruit  well  on  cooler  sites,  it  proves  pretty 
conclusively  that  the  soil  and  position  are  suited  to  them.  What  con¬ 
clusions  may  be  drawn  from  this  later  ripening  on  trees  having  a 
warmer  sunny  wall  ?  I  think  it  shows  that  their  nature  is  opposed 
to  it,  and  the  greater  warmth  presented  does  not  bring  forth  any 
responsive  action. — W.  S.,  Rood  Ashton ,  Wilts. 
BULBS  AND  THEIR  CULTURE. 
{Continued  from  page  279.) 
Other  Useful  Species  and  Varieties. 
The  dreariness  of  winter  is  now  almost  a  myth  to  those  who  have 
the  control  of  glass  structures,  and  the  means  at  command  of  investing 
a  few  pounds  in  bulbs;  for  they  can  easily  secure  a  succession  of 
brightly  coloured  flowers  from  November  onward  to  the  sunny  days  of 
spring.  The  pure  drooping  bells  of  Snowdrops,  the  brilliantly  coloured 
Crocus  in  many  hues,  the  gorgeous  Tulips,  quaint  Iris,  fragrant 
Jonquil,  Alliums,  and  Scillas  may  all  be  turned  to  good  account  in 
making  the  darkest  day  resplendent  in  living  beauty.  Let  us  therefore 
consider  a  few  of  the  many  ways  in  which  they  may  be  used  to 
advantage. 
Snowdrops  and  Crocus  should  be  potted  or  boxed  at  once,  if  the 
operation  has  not  already  been  performed.  By  planting  in  boxes  and 
transferring  to  pots  as  soon  as  the  flowers  show  colour  evenly  flowered 
potfuls  are  easily  obtained;  but  as  in  the  case  of  Tulips  they  do  not 
last  so  long  in  flower  as  when  no  transplanting  takes  place.  The  plan  I 
adopt  is  as  follows: — If  the  bulbs  are  examined  many  of  them  will  by 
this  time  be  found  starting  into  growth ;  if  these  are  selected  and 
placed  in  pots  they  may  be  depended  upon  to  flower  simultaneously. 
Six  or  seven  bulbs  in  a  4-inch  pot  or  nine  or  ten  in  a  5-inch  one  make 
a  nice  display.  The  unstarted  bulbs  should  be  placed  an  inch  apart  in 
boxes,  and  in  due  time  be  transferred  to  pots.  A  succession  can  thus 
be  secured  without  subjecting  any  of  them  to  a  higher  temperature 
than  that  of  an  ordinary  greenhouse.  As  a  rule  each  pot  should 
contain  one  variety  only,  but  those  who  have  a  fancy  for  mixtures  can 
easily  mix  them  at  transplanting  time. 
Good  Crocuses  are  Baron  Von  Brunow  (dark  blue),  Prince  of  Wales 
(fine  blue),  Ne  Plus  Ultra  (blue  white  bordered),  and  Othello  (dark 
purple).  Among  yellow  varieties  the  old  Cloth  of  Gold  may  be 
obtained  cheaply,  and  is  good  for  use  on  a  large  scale,  but  a  few 
bulbs  of  such  fine  new  additions  as  Golden  Nugget  and  Golden  Yellow 
also  ought  to  be  obtained.  The  pots  containing  the  corms  should  of 
course  be  plunged  in  the  open  air  for  a  few  weeks,  and  as  soon  as 
roots  are  plentifuli  be  removed  to  a  greenhouse  or  pit,  in  which  position 
they  may  be  had  in  flower  slightly  ahead  of  those  in  warm  positions 
in  the  open  air.  Snowdrops  can  also  be  treated  in  precisely  the  same 
way.  All  the  varietiesare  beautiful,  but  I  prefer  the  single  forms,  as  to 
my  mind  they  are  more  dainty  and  graceful  than  the  double  ones.  The 
giant  species  should  also  be  grown,  as  they  are  imposing  among  Snow¬ 
drops,  and  extremely  pretty  in  the  markings  of  their  sepals. 
Scillas,  among  which  sibirica,  with  its  intensely  rich  blue  flowers, 
is  perhaps  the  best  form,  are  also  well  adapted  for  pot  culture.  To  see 
them  to  advantage  they  should  be  massed  when  in  flower.  For 
private  gardens  an  excellent  plan  to  follow  is  to  set  the  bulbs  in  boxes, 
and  transplant  as  they  are  coming  into  flower.  In  many  places  where 
decorations  are  well  carried  out,  numbers  of  bowls  and  shallow  glasses 
or  pans  constantly  need  filling  with  flowering  plants  or  Ferns.  If 
some  of  these  are  packed  with  Scillas  in  flower,  and  have  newly 
rooted  cuttings  of  Panicum  variegatum  inserted  round  the  edges,  a 
rich  effect  is  produced,  provided  the  mass  is  placed  in  a  position  where 
there  is  plenty  of  light ;  in  a  dark  corner  it  would  look  dull  and 
uninteresting.  Other  varieties  worth  growing  are  prascox  superba, 
cainpanulata  alba,  and  c.  rosea. 
Let  us  now  turn  to  the  brightly  coloured  and  deliciously  scented 
Jonquils.  The  two  varieties  best  adapted  for  pot  culture  are  the  large 
double  and  the  single.  The  first-named  resents  being  forced  sharply  ; 
when  it  is  attempted  many  of  the  buds  go  “  blind,”  and  although  the 
single  variety  is  not  a  suitable  bulb  for  early  forcing,  it  succeeds  well  if 
brought  on  in  a  gentle  heat  in  January  or  February,  when  the  flowers 
are  much  prized,  not  only  on  account  of  their  fragrance,  but  also 
because,  being  borne  on  long  slender  stems,  they  are  in  great  request 
for  mixing  with  the  many  short-stemmed  flowers  used  at  that  season. 
Allium  neapolitanum  is  another  long-stemmed  flower,  which  has 
been  much  grown  during  recent  years,  and  must  be  classed  with  bulbs 
that  require  bringing  on  steadily  in  a  comparatively  cool  temperature. 
The  flowers,  which  are  pearly  white,  being  borne  in  large  umbels,  are 
adapted  for  use  in  a  cut  state,  or  for  supplying  lightness  to  groups  of 
pot  plants.  Parrot  Tulips — what  a  sensation  these  created  when 
first  brought  prominently  forward  !  Other  Tulips  may  be  gorgeous, 
wonderful  in  their  intricate  markings  and  exquisite  blending  of  colours, 
but  the  “  Parrots  ”  stand  unique  among  them  all ;  they  have  peculiarly 
attractive  colours,  jagged  and  feathered  edges  to  their  petals,  which 
shock  the  eyes  of  the  old  Tulip  fanciers ;  yet  their  unconventional  forms, 
quaint  and  delightful  colour  marking,  appeal  to  all  wuth  artistic  tastes. 
Truly  they  are  rightly  named,  for  the  rich  colour  markings  to  be  seen 
in  many  chattering  feathered  pets  has  been  sprung  upon  us  in  this  race 
of  Tulips,  fortunately  minus  the  sound  and  fury  of  their  namesakes. 
The  secret  of  success  in  cultivating  Parrot  Tulips  is  not  to  attempt  to 
force  them,  as  they  are  essentially  late  flowering.  They  ought 
to  be  left  in  the  plunging  material  until  the  top  growth  ^  is 
inch  in  length,  and  then  be  placed  in  cool  houses  or  pits.  4  he 
following  are  some  of  the  best  varieties  to  grow  :  Admiral  de 
Constantinople,  cornuta,  lutea  major,  monstre  rouge,  viridiflora,  rubra 
et  lutea,  and  Feu  Brilliant.  He  would  be  a  bold  man  who  attempted 
to  minutely  describe  the  colours  of  these  varieties  ;  I  will  certainly  not 
attempt  to  do  so. 
Iris  hispanica. — Many  lovely  varieties  of  this  species  may  now  be 
bought  very  cheaply,  and  their  culture,  both  in  pots  and  in  the  open 
air,  is  extending  by  leaps  and  bounds.  This  cannot  be  wondered  at,, 
for  they  supply  long-stemmed  flowers,  which  are  showy,  extremely 
useful,  and  uncommonly  beautiful.  Two  good  varieties  for  forcing 
are  Snowflake  and  Belle  Chinoise.  For  this  purpose  the  corms,  which 
are  small,  should  be  placed  an  inch  apart  in  boxes,  these  being 
plunged  in  the  open  air,  and  taken  into  the  forcing  house  early  in 
January.  They  are  chiefly  valuable  for  supplying  cut  flowers,  but 
when  brought  on  steadily  they  are  showy  as  pot  plants.  For  use  in 
this  way,  from  twelve  to  fifteen  corms  should  be  placed  in  a  5.  or 
G-inch  pot.  Good  varieties  for  bringing  on  in  gentle  heat  in  spring 
are  Alexander  Von  Humboldt,  blue ;  blanche  superbe,  white  ;  British 
Queen,  white  ;  jaune  brillante,  dark  yellow ;  Leander,  yellow 
(scented) ;  Prince  of  Orange,  white  and  yellow ;  lilaceus,  lilac  blue ; 
and  Mary,  porcelain  blue.  When  once  the  culture  of  these  flowers  is 
begun,  it  is  too  fascinating  to  be  relinquished. — H.  D. 
(To  be  continued.) 
STRAWBERRY  ST.  JOSEPH. 
I  THINK  there  is  no  doubt  we  have  in  this  Strawberry  a  fruit  that 
can,  and  will,  be  turned  to  good  account  where  ripe  Strawberries 
would  be  appreciated  in  October  and  'November ;  and  surely  a  dish  of 
Strawberries  could  not  fail  to  be  welcome  at  the  time  of  year  named. 
Last  autumn,  rather  late,  I  procured  twelve  very  small  runners,  and 
planted  them  on  a  wall  border  facing  south-west,  rlhey,  I  may  say, 
just  lived  through  the  mild  winter,  and  began  to  grow  freely  in  early 
spring.  Very  early  in  their  progress  they  began  to  produce  runners, 
and  continued  to  do  so  at  a  prodigious  rate. 
The  earlier  made  runners  commenced  throwing  up  flower  stems  in 
August.  These  runners,  hundreds  of  them,  were  cleared  away  to  be 
turned  into  stock  plants."  The  twelve  parents  were  very  soon  what 
might  be  termed  smothered  with  flower  stems,  and  they  have  been 
ripening  fruits  about  the  size  of  Cob  Nuts,  of  a  bright  red  colour,  and 
of  brisk  pleasant  flavour.  The  equinox  has  put  a  stop  to  their 
ripening,  but  pale,  almost  white,  berries  are  very  plentiful  in  a  circle 
round  each  plant.  I  am  convinced  that  to  get  plenty  of  ripe  fruits 
now  for  weeks,  it  might  be  months,  onward,  it  would  only  be  neces¬ 
sary  to  prepare  any  required  number  of  plants  in  pots,  or  even  narrow 
boxes,  that  could  be  introduced  to  shelves  in  warm  pits  or  houses. 
