346 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  3,  1898. 
is  Mrs.  White  Popham.  J.  Chamberlain  is  good.  Topaze  Oriental, 
Countess  of  Warwick,  Madame  Desblaric  are  all  capital.  Quite  set 
and  distinct  now  is  the  white  Viviand  Morel  or  Mrs.  J.  Riston. 
Very  superb  is  Mr.  T.  Carrington,  one  of  the  Australians.  Mr. 
Pockett’s  seedlings  are  first-rate  this  season  ;  so,  too,  are  Nellie  Pockett 
and  John  Pockett.  Mrs.  J.  W.  Barbey  is  also  a  fine  bloom.  Presi¬ 
dent  Bevan  should  make  a  splendid  back  row  bloom,  and  very  charm¬ 
ing  is  Mrs.  J.  A.  Ilaines  and  Lord  Ludlow.  But  these  are  merely  a 
few  of  the  many,  for  the  collection  is  rich  in  novelties. 
Not  the  least  of  the  attractions  at  Earlswood  is  found  in  the  myriads 
of  outdoor  or  early  blooming  varieties  grown  in  a  large  field  on  the 
common.  Here  are  huge  breadths  of  all  the  best  early  varieties,  quite 
a  sight  in  themselves.  It  is  no  matter  for  surprise  that  this  section 
has  become  so  popular.  Those  varieties  that  bloom  in  October  generally 
are  the  most  useful,  and  of  these  Crimson  Pride,  3  feet  ;  Roi  des 
Precoce,  rich  reddish  claret,  very  beautiful;  Crimson  Precocite,  red 
terra  cotta  with  vermilion  shading,  quite  lovely  ;  Nellie  Brown,  a  rich 
golden  ;  Source  d’Or,  one  of  the  best  for  cutting;  Madame de  Lepatier, 
chestnut;  Martinmas,  soft  pink  white;  Madame  La  Gagac,  soft  lilac; 
Mychett  Beauty,  yellow;  Market,  white,  very  pure;  and  others, 
furnishing  quite  a  mass  of  beauty. — A.  D. 
MESSRS.  VEITCII  &  SONS. 
The  Chrysanthemums  here  not  only  bear  signs  of  careful  cultiva¬ 
tion,  but  they  also  show  that  a  rigid  and  careful  selection  has  been 
made  from  the  numberless  novelties  that  are  yearly  distributed  from 
all  sources.  Bush-grown  freely  flowered  plants  of  several  varieties, 
such  as  Mrs.  Cullingford,  William  Seward,  M.  Wm.  Holmes,  Madame 
la  Comtesse  Foucher  de  Careil,  Wm.  Tricker,  and  others  form  an 
interesting  and  pleasing  variation  from  the  orthodox  big  blooms,  and 
will  no  doubt  attract  many  visitors  for  whom  the  Chrysanthemum,  as 
a  purely  decorative  flower,  has  special  interest. 
Descartes,  the  deep  wine  coloured  Japanese  Anemone,  is  good  here, 
as  it  is  everywhere;  Mrs.  R.  C.  Kingston,  a  big,  solid,  pink  coloured 
iucurved,  is  in  fine  form;  Col.  W.  B.  Smith,  W.  H.  Lincoln,  and  the 
hairy  yellow  Leocadie  Gentils  are  also  of  good  promise. 
Miss  Nellie  Pockett  is  of  Australian  origin ;  it  is  a  very  pretty 
Japanese  with  a  multitude  of  narrow  grooved  incurving  florets  pointed 
at  the  tips;  colour  pure  white.  William  Towers  is  a  large  spreading 
flower  with  long  drooping  florets  of  medium  width,  and  the  colour  is 
very  pure  pale  canary  yellow.  The  large  white  Lady  Byron  is  in 
good  form,  deep  and  solid  ;  so,  too,  are  Sunflower  and  Robert  Powell, 
both  well  known.  Modesto,  the  rich  deep  golden  yellow  American 
introduction,  is  very  fine  in  colour  and  size. 
Amongst  the  miscellaneous  novelties  of  a  few  seasons  ago  received 
from  the  Continent  M.  Aug.  Lacoivier  is  rather  early,  but  of  a 
peculiarly  delicate  blending  of  colour.  Baron  Hirsch,  Hairy  Wonder, 
and  William  Seward  are  also  noteworthy. 
Good  whites  are  represented  by  Mrs.  H.  Weeks,  Mrs.  Chas.  Blick, 
Mutual  Friend,  while  higher  tones  and  varying  in  degrees  of  richness 
are  Octoroon,  Royal  Standard,  Ethel  Addison,  Charles  Davis,  and  its 
parent,  Viviand  Morel.  Calvat’s  seedlings  are  finely  flowered,  one  of 
the  best  being  Louise.  President  Nonin,  Amiral  Avellan,  Werther, 
M.  C.  Molin,  General  Paquie,  President  Borel,  and  Madame  Gustave 
Henri  are  all  of  good  promise ;  besides  which  there  are  Madame 
Marius  Ricaud,  Madame  Ferlat,  N.C.S.  Jubilee,  and  Souvenir  de 
Malines. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Scientific  Committee. — Present  :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the 
chair)  ;  Mr.  Bennett-Poe,  Rev.  W.  Wilk9,  and  Rev.  G.  Henslow, 
lion.  Sec. 
Cypripediurn  insigne  Malformed. — A  flower  was  received  from  Air.  R. 
Iveeble  of  the  Gardens,  Twyford,  Berks,  remarkable  for  being  in  a  very 
arrested  state.  The  front  sepals  were  nearly  separate,  not  coherent  as 
usual.  The  posterior  sepal  was  normal,  the  petals  were  present,  but  no 
pistil,  a  solid  column  occupying  the  centre  of  the  flower,  with  an  abortive 
stigma  at  the  summit. 
Fruit  of  Diospyros  kaki. — Canon  Ellacombe  sent  some  specimens  “from 
a  tree  growing  against  a  south  wall,  but  never  protected,  which  has  been 
there  at  least  a  dozen  years  and  possibly  more.” 
Victoria  Plums ,  Second  Crops.— Both  Mr.  Alarsball  of  Bexley  and  Air. 
Addington  of  Ford  House,  St.  Neots,  sent  samples  of  ripe  Plums  of  this 
variety,  as  second  crops.  Mr.  Addington  remarks  :  —  “  The  tree  off 
which  I  gathered  them  had  an  enormous  crop  of  Plums  early  this  year, 
and  it  has  now  a  good  quantity  of  a  second  crop.”  It  is,  of  course,  an 
unusual  occurrence,  but  the  result  of  the  prolonged  summer  weather. 
Lilium  speciosum  with  Petaloid  Stamens. — A  blossom  was  received  from 
Air.  E.  H.  Jenkins  of  the  Queen’s  Road  Nursery,  Hampton  Hill, 
remarkable  for  the  three  exterior  (sepaline)  stamens  being  completely 
changed  into  perianth  leaves,  resembling  the  others  in  every  way. 
Plants  Damping  Off. — Mr.  Saltmarsh  of  Chelmsford  sent  some  cut 
flowers  of  Chrysanthemums  in  which  the  lower  part  of  the  blossom  wa9 
arrested  in  growth  from  internal  decay.  It  was  the  general  opinion  that 
this  was  due  to  too  gross  feeding  and  a  too  confined  air.  Flowers  of 
sulphur  might  correct  it,  if  the  other  conditions  were  attended  to. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Salvias. 
Among  autumn  flowering  plants  Salvias  must  be  accorded  a  prominent 
place,  as  for  furnishing,  in  association  with  early  Chrysanthemums,  they 
are  wonderfully  effective.  Then,  too,  in  a  cut  state  for  vases,  the  lasting 
properties  of  tho  flowers  make  them  very  desirable.  Two  of  the  best  for 
the  purpose  indicated  are  splendens  andBetheli,  while  for  bedding  S.  patens 
is  excellent,  the  lively  blue,  when  the  plants  are  massed,  being  most 
pleasintr  during  the  late  summer  months.  After  flowering  the  tubers  may 
be  fitted  and  stored  as  in  the  case  of  Dahlias,  or  if  in  a  sheltered  spot,  a 
slight  covering  of  stable  litter  will  suffice  to  preserve  them  from  frost. 
Cuttings  of  S.  splendens  and  Betheli  rooted  early  in  the  spring  and 
potted  as  required,  may  be  planted  in  June.  If  they  are  carefully  pinched 
and  well  watered,  fine  specimens  will  be  ready  for  lifting  by  the  end  of 
August.  They  should  be  kept  clme  and  syringed  for  a  few  days,  to 
encourage  root  action,  after  which  they  may  be  placed  in  a  sheltered 
spot  out  of  doors  until  required  for  furnishing.— Beginner, 
Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine. 
Having  had  considerable  experience  with  this  winter-flowering  plant 
I  can  corroborate  all  that  “  T.  P.”  said  on  page  290  relative  to  its  value 
as  a  decorative  plant.  I  consider  it  far  superior  to  any  other. 
Our  system  of  procedure  differs  in  many  respects  from  that  recom¬ 
mended  by  your  contributor.  After  flowering  we  cut  back  the  plants 
to  about  3  or  4  inches  of  growth,  and  they  are  kept  somewhat  drier  than 
usual  during  their  resting  period.  The  earliest  cuttings  are  usually 
crowded  with  flower  buds,  but  these  must  be  avoided,  removing  all  buds, 
and  pin<  hing  back  the  growth.  The  plants  will  eventually  produce 
healthy  growths  at  the  base,  which  may  be  taken  as  cuttings  and  rooted 
in  the  usual  way. 
Pot  the  plants  singly  as  soon  as  ready  into  60’s,  and  when  they  become 
established  should  be  accorded  a  position  where  light  is  abundant,  but 
shaded  from  the  hot  sun.  Air  must  be  admitted  in  favourable  weather, 
as  it  insures  the  stnrdy  growth  that  is  desirable.  Transfer  the  plants  into 
larger  pots  as  soon  as  they  require  it.  Loam  and  peat  in  equal  parts, 
with  a  quantity  of  sand  added,  will  make  an  excellent  compost.  An 
occasional  watering  with  weak  liquid  manure  or  soot  water  is  all  that  is 
required  until  the  pinching  out  ot  the  flower  buds  has  ceaaed,  when  a 
small  quantity  of  some  approved  chemical  fertiliser  will  be  beneficial. 
An  important  item  in  their  culture  is  to  remove  all  decaying  flowers 
during  their  growing  season.  I  do  not  consider  it  advisable  to  syringe 
the  plants  or  to  pinch  back  any  growths,  as  the  latter  cheeks  their 
progress  considerably,  and  if  practised  when  in  a  young  state  it  often 
arrests  progress  entirely. — J.  F.  D.,  Yorks. 
HARDY  FRUIT  GARDEN. 
Root-pruning  Fruit  Trees. — A  check  may  be  given  to  fruit  trees  that 
are  growing  too  luxuriantly  by  root  pruning.  A  distinction  must  be  made 
between  the  free  and  vigorous  growth  of  healthy  and  fruitful  trees,  and 
the  strong  sappy  shoots  of  luxuriantly  growing  but  unfruitful  trees.  The 
cause  oi  trees  attaining  to  the  latter  condition  is  the  descent  of  some  of 
the  strong  roots  deep  into  the  subsoil.  It  is  these  roots  which  require 
checking,  that  is,  shortening  at  a  reasonable  distance  from  the  main  stem, 
whereby  they  may  be  induced  to  send  forth  finer  and  more  numerous 
roots  that  wifi  encourage  the  production  of  comparatively  weaker,  and 
therefore  more  fruitful  wood  subsequently. 
Tf  the  root-pruning  is  not  carried  out  too  severely  the  subdued  vigour 
will  be  more  likely  to  become  concentrated  in  the  hitherto  weak  fruit 
buds  instead  of  growing  to  waste  in  long  shoots.  It  is  only,  as  a  rule, 
pruned  and  restricted  fruit  trees  which  need  root-pruning.  The  operation 
can  only  be  expected  to  be  of  service  when  the  trees  are  growing  in 
suitable  positions,  and  otherwise  established  under  proper  conditions 
regarding  light,  air,  and  sufficient  space  for  development.  Trees  that 
have  had  their  fruiting  capabilities  spoiled  by  overcrowding,  and  thus 
induced  a  gross  habit,  will  not  be  improved  by  root-pruning,  nor  should 
the  operation  be  practised  on  worthless  varieties,  or  very  old,  exhausted 
specimens. 
Young  Trees. — Root-pruning  in  a  mild  and  judicious  way  is  a  means  of 
providing  a  wholesome  check  to  the  vigorous  and  luxuriant  growth  of 
young  trees  which,  before  attaining  to  a  fruiting  condition, are  apt  to  develop 
too  rapidly.  With  these  sometimes  lifting  the  trees  bodily  is  preferable 
to  root-pruning,  but  when  they  get  bejond  a  portable  size  the  former 
is  not  practicable.  Probably  all  that  will  be  required  is  to  cut  a  trench 
round  the  trees  at  a  distance  of  2J  to  3  feet,  carefully  severing  and 
making  smooth  the  ends  of  strong  roots  found.  Fill  in  the  soil  again  and 
make  firm. 
Old  Trees. — Much  stronger  roots  will  be  found  descending  from  these, 
and  the  object  of  root-pruning  must  be  to  cut  them  off.  It  may  not  be 
desirable  to  effect  this  at  one  operation,  hence  valuable  trees  should  only 
be  root-pruned  half  way  round  the  first  season  ;  the  remaining  half  may 
be  done  the  following  year.  , 
