October  27,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
315 
These  might  stand  in  cold  frames  till  the  fruits  were  nearly  full  size, 
or  even  be  grown  outdoors  till  far  on  in  October. 
Increasing  Strawberries — The  “  Cats’-teeth  ”  System. 
While  on  the  subject  of  Strawberries  it  may  be  useful  to  amateurs, 
if  to  no  others,  if  I  refer  to  a  practice  I  have  adopted  in  the  case  of 
making  new  plantations  of  Strawberries  where  space  is  limited  and  a 
good  crop  of  fine  fruit  desired  the  following  year.  This  is  of  import¬ 
ance  where  there  is  not  the  command  of  forced  plants  that  can  be 
■planted  out  in  early  summer. 
If  the  first  runners — always  the  strongest — that  healthy  outdoor 
plants  make  are  detached  from  the  parent  when  the  plantlets  have 
pushed  out  roots  just  about  the  size  and  appearance  of  cats’  teeth, 
with  2  inches  of  the  shank  or  stems  attached  and  these  are 
pricked  into  a  bed  of  light  rich  earth  with  which  some  sifted  horse 
droppings  are  incorporated  to  the  depth  of  3  inches  or  so,  watered 
and  shaded  from  the  sun  until  they  get  hold  of  the  bed,  they  soon 
grow  into  fine  stiff  plants.  By  the  time  some  early  crop  of  vegetables 
are  cleared  these  will  be  strong,  and  lift  with  fine  balls  without  break¬ 
ing  a  root,  and  can  be  planted  as  a  succession  crop,  having  the  whole 
summer  and  autumn  to  develop  into  plants  that  will  bear  a  splendid 
crop  of  fruit  the  next  year. 
If  it  is  decided  to  let  them  bear  only  one  crop — a  good  plan  in  the 
case  of  such  varieties  as  John  Kuskin  a'd  Royal  Sovereign — they  can 
be  planted  closer  in  the  rows,  say  a  foot  asunder,  than  the  oxthodox 
distance.  These  plants  thus  managed  give  crops  of  the  very  finest 
Strawberries.  I  am  confident  that  this  is  a  system  that  would  suit 
amateurs  with  limited  space  remarkably  well.  Instead  of  planting 
runners  that  are  not  detached  from  the  bearing  plants  till  August  and 
September,  when  the  season  for  making  fine  strong  rows  is  not  before 
them,  and  they  are  wiry  and  attenuated,  the  crop  they  yield  the  first 
season  is  poor  and  scant  comparatively. 
Strawberry  plants  are  to  a  great  exteut  spoilt  when  not  taken  till 
after  the  crops  are  gathered.  Acting  on  this  fact,  when  I,  forty  years 
since,  commenced  planting  thickly  in  rows,  by  the  side  of  walks  and 
alleys,  stout  early  runners  to  be  left  there  to  produce  young  plants 
for  preparing  in  pots  for  forcing,  I  was  never  satisfied  unless  they 
were  in  the  truiting  pots  by  the  first  week  in  July. — D.  Thomson. 
[The  method  of  propagation  advised,  and  now  given  a  character¬ 
istic  name,  is  largely  adopted  by  some  growers  of  lorced  Strawberries 
for  market.  We  have  seen  thousands  of  such  “  cats’  teeth  ”  runner 
•cuttings  inserted  in  as  many  6-inch  pots  firmly  filled  with  good  soil  at 
the  end  of  May  and  early  in  June,  and  the  pots  arranged  on  ashes  in 
the  open  where  the  plants  were  to  grow.  Even  if  bright  sunny  days 
follow,  few  of  the  plantlets  fail  under  frequent  sprinklings  through  the 
hose.  In  smaller  cultures  outdoors,  if  the  “cats’ teeth”  cuttings  are 
shaded  as  advised  in  bright  weather,  fine  plants  are  obtained  the 
sooner,  and  under  good  subsequent  management  produce  splendid 
crops  of  handsome  fruit  the  following  year.] 
SPECULATIONS. 
Although  a  matter  occurred  in  the  article  on  page  299  of  your 
Journal,  headed  “Big  Potato  Crop,”  I  do  not  wish  to  say  anything  about 
Potatoes.  It  is  the  other  item  included,  concerning  weather,  which 
prompts  me  to  concur  with  the  complete  justification  “A.  Di”  had  in  a 
moderate  critique  of  the  estimate  made  elsewhere  as  to  15  inches  of  ram 
being  due  before  Christmas,  and  innocently  suggesting  the  ideal  measure 
of  5  inches  instead,  from  the  point  of  view  of  benefit  for  all  cultivators. 
Without  looking  into  Mr,  Pea’s  Japanese  mirror,  I  should  not  be  aware, 
however,  of  “  A.  D.”  being  up  in  arm3.  He  may  be  so  for  all  1  know  if 
convenient,  and,  if  he  cares,  effectively,  and  I  do  not  presume  to  fight 
battles  successfully  for  this  gladiator  of  the  pen.  However,  let  me  admit 
that  I  quite  enjoy  the  sprightly  and  informing  mould  of  Mr.  Pea’s  articles, 
and  whenever  he  does  not  contribute,  I  come  to  think  one  of  the  better 
coadjutors  of  your  Journal  is  silent.  I  am  sorry  Mr.  Pea  had  nothing 
more  instructive  to  say  at  the  moment,  and  had  recourse  to  banter,  as  the 
object  of  his  challengiog  the  item  in  question. 
Let  us,  however,  speculate  a  little  further,  and  remember  the  thirty- 
five  years  complete  cycle  period  that  may  be  useful  to  bear  in  mind  us 
being  held  in  some  quarters,  with  seventeen  years  more  or  less  wet,  and 
as  many  more  or  less  dry.  Being  a  lover  of  horticulture  of  many  years 
standing,  I  well  remember  when  spending  July  and  August  abroad  in, 
I  think,  1871,  the  deplorable  accounts  in  my  gardener's  letters  as  to  the 
trouble  of  keeping  things  alive  through  ttoe  drought.  I  returned  on 
1st  September  only  to  find  things  as  stated,  and  yet  no  rain  fell  up  to 
15th  October,  exactly  like  this  year.  That  year,  say  1871,  would  there¬ 
fore  occur  among  the  relatively  dry  seventeen  years,  whereas  1879  we 
should  have  to  include  among  the  wet  division,  as  nobody  will  forget  who 
experienced  it.  Have  we  not  had  a  series  of  years  more  or  less  constant 
since  1893  to  classify  among  seventeen  years  relatively  dry?  Why  not 
from  this  reasoning  admit  the  chances  referred  to  by  “A.  D.,”  of  want 
of  rain  again  in  1899  ?  Does  it  not  behove  us  to  bestir  ourselves  at 
length  in  matters  of  artesian  wells  and  irrigation  ? 
When  Mr.  Pea  gives  details,  such  as  his  visit  to  Ghent  earlier  in  the 
year,  and  his  late  analysis  of  judges  at  the  Shrewsbury  Show,  and 
,probably  many  other  instances  that  I  might  cite,  he  is  thoroughly 
interesting  from  my  point  of  view.  But  so  is  “A.  D.,”  and  very 
instructive  as  well,  in  his  thoughtful  and  copious  series  of  notes  and 
articles  in  horticultural  literature. — H.  H.  R. 
[Our  facile  correspondent  may  possibly  be  open  to  correction  in  his 
reference  to  Shrewsbury.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we  are  inclined  to  think  he 
need  not  take  Mr.  Pea  and  “  A.  D.”  too  seriously.  We  suspect  they 
understand  each  other  pretty  well.  Young  men,  and  even  some  not 
very  young,  except  in  mental  activity,  are  prone  to  indulge  in  a  pen  frolic 
now  and  then  as  a  foil  to  the  essential  workaday  matter  of  the  heavy 
brigade.] 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Drill  Hall. — October  25th. 
On  Tuesday  the  Drill  Hall  was  almost  completely  filled  with  excellent 
exhibits  of  the  most  varied  character.  There  were  large  numbers  of 
Chrysanthemums  with  Dahlias,  fruit,  vegetables,  various  plants,  and 
Orchids. 
Fruit  Committee. — Present  :  P.  Crowley,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ;  with 
Rev.  W.  Wilks,  and  Messrs.  T.  F.  Rivers,  G.  Bunyard,  J.  H.  Yeitch,  A.  F. 
Barron,  A.  H.  Pearson,  R.  Parker,  G.  Norman,  J.  Smith,  F.  Q.  Lane, 
II.  Balderson,  G.  Wythes,  T.  G,  Miles,  W.  Bates,  G.  Woodward, 
A.  Dean,  J.  Cheal,  and  J.  Wright. 
Mr.  C.  Herrin  sent  from  Dropmore  a  dish  each  of  Coe’s  Golden  Drop 
and  Brahv's  Green  Gage  Plums;  very  fine  (vote  of  thanks).  Mr.  J.  Vert 
sent  from  Saffron  Walden  rarely  seen  fruits  of  Gynocladus  canadensis, 
resembling  wrinkled  Walnuts  (vote  of  thanks). 
Mr.  W.  Miller  sent  fruits  of  Wm.  Tillery  Melon,  the  variety  which  he 
raised  many  years  ago  :  a  good,  well  proved  variety  (vote  of  thanks). 
Mr.  A.  Taylor,  Rowan  Villa,  Ash  Vale,  Surrey,  sent  a  seedling  Apple 
resembling  Adam  s  Pearmain,  though  not  so  good.  Mr.  W.  Crump  sent 
from  Madresfield  Court  fine  fruits  of  Maltster  Apple.  This  variety  is 
largely  grown  in  Notts,  and  trees  are  killed  by  unusually  severe  frost. 
Some  “  new  seedling  ”  Apples  were  sent  from  Sainsbury  Green,  South¬ 
ampton.  One  was  Worcester  Pearmain,  another  Spencer’s  Favourite 
a  third  Tower  of  Glamis,  and  the  rest  worthless. 
Mr.  W.  Miller  sent  from  Coombe  Abbey,  Coventry',  a  box  of  fruits  of 
PdSsiflora  edulis,  and  a  cultural  commendation  was  awarded.  Mr.  J.  C. 
Bruce,  Old  Garrock,  Gallow,  sent  ten  varieties  of  Apples  grown  500  feet 
above  sea,  and  in  a  district  “  visited  by  frost  every  month  of  the  year.” 
Some  were  very  fine,  and  a  cultural  commendation  was  awarded.  Mr. 
II.  H.  Raschen  sent  Apples  of  I’igeon  Rouge  and  Pigeon  Blanc.  The 
first  named  is  so  called  from  the  supposed  resemblance  of  the  bloom  with 
the  plumage  of  a  dove  (vote  of  thanks). 
Mr.  G.  Wythes  sent  a  bunch  of  a  dwarf-growing  variety  of  Musa 
Cavendishi.  The  Committee  decided  to  wait  lor  another  year's  expe¬ 
rience.  Mr.  Wythes  also  sent  a  new  variety  of  Tomato,  the  cluster 
being  produced  and  fruits  ripened  in  ten  months  on  a  plant  5  feet  high — 
to  be  tried  at  Chiswick.  A  fruiting  spray  of  Diospyros  Kaki  was  seDt 
from  Bitton  Vicarage,  Bristol,  by  Canon  Ellacoinbe,  grown  against  a 
south  wall  in  the  open  (vote  of  thanks). 
Large  and  meritorious  collections  of  fruit  were  exhibited.  Messrs. 
J.  Laing  &  Sons  staged  100  dishes  of  Apples  (silver  Knightian  medal). 
Forty  dishes  of  Apples  and  Pears  were  sent  by  Mr.  J.  Prewett,  gardener 
to  C.  A.  Pearson  Fsq.,  Prensham  (small  Banksian  medal). 
Messrs.  J.  Cheal  &  Son  exhibited  100  dishes  of  Apples  (silver 
Knightian  medal).  Mr.  G.  Woodward,  gardener  to  Roger  Leigh,  Esq., 
Barham  Court,  sent  100  dishes  of  handsome  Apples  and  Pears  (Hogg 
Memorial  medal). 
Mr.  E.  Beckett  sent  from  Aldenham  House  thirteen  varieties  of 
splendidly  grown  Celery'  (silver  Banksian  medal).  Mr.  Howe,  gardener 
to  Sir  11.  Tate,  sent  large  clusters  of  Alicante  Grapes  (cultural 
commendation). 
Floral  Committee.— Present  :  W.  Marshall,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
with  Messrs.  J.  Fraser,  O.  Thomas,  H.  B.  May,  R.  Dean,  G.  Stevens, 
W.  Howe,  J.  Hudson,  R.  B.  Lowe,  J.  Walker,  J.  D.  Pawle,  II.  J. 
Cutbush,  II.  J.  Jones,  F.  T.  Cook,  G.  Paul,  and  C.  T.  Druery. 
Mr.  W.  Howe,  gardener  to  Sir  Henry  Tate,  Streatharn,  arranged  a 
handsome  group  of  foliage  plants.  The  plants  were  excellently  grown 
and  most  effectively  arranged.  They  comprised  all  the  most  useful 
decorative  kinds  (silver-gilt  Banksian  medal).  Messrs.  T.  Hill  &  Son, 
Lower  Edmonton,  staged  a  number  of  finely  grown  Ferns  in  variety' 
(silver-gilt  Banksian  medal).  One-half  of  a  central  table  was  occupied 
by  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  Upper  Edmonton,  with  well  flowered  specimens  of 
Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  Bouvardias,  Ferns,  Crotons,  Carnations, 
Chrysanthemums,  and  other  plants.  The  arrangement  was  artistic 
(silver  Flora  medal). 
Mr.  T.  S.  Ware,  Ltd.,  Tottenham,  staged  an  extensive  display  of 
Cactus,  Pompon,  and  single  Dahlias.  In  the  former  se  tion  Sylvia, 
Starfish,  Cycle,  Africa,  Leonora,  and  Chas.  Woodbridge  were  very 
conspicuous.  The  Pompons  and  singles  comprised  all  the  popular  varieties 
in  each  section.  The  same  firm  also  contributed  a  collection  of  early 
flowering  Chrysanthemums  (silver  Banksian  medal).  Mr.  S.  Mortimer, 
Farnhaui,  exhibited  a  very  fine  display  of  Cactus,  Show,  and  Fancy 
Dahlias.  The  blooms  were  very  bright  and  fresh-looking  (silver  Flora 
medal). 
Mr.  W.  Wells,  Earlswood  Nurseries,  Redhill,  contributed  a  grand 
display  of  Chrysanthemums,  consisting  of  specimen  plants,  bush  plants, 
and  cut  flowers.  Mrs.  White  Popham,  Master  H.  Tucker,  Gdn^ral  Paque, 
Madame  Desblanc,  Le  Grand  Dragon,  Madame  C.  du  Terrail,  and  Presi¬ 
dent  Bevan  were  conspicuous  in  the  new  varieties.  Crimson  Pride, 
