December  29,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
495 
-  Oxalis  Tubers. — I  find  that  the  tubers  of  Oxalis  crenata  are 
sometimes  to  be  got  at  Covent  Garden  Market.  I  am  also  informed  that 
a  number  are  distributed  every  year  from  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  and 
by  applying  there  at  this  season  “  D.  W4”  would  be  readily  supplied. — 
X.  L.  C.  R. 
- Late  Mushrooms. — Mr.  G.  Taylor,  Byram  Hall  Gardens,  Ferry¬ 
bridge,  Yorks,  writes  under  date  of  December  22nd  : — “One  can  hardly 
think  that  Christmas  is  so  near  owing  to  the  very  open  weather  we  are 
having.  As  a  proof  of  the  mildness  of  the  season  I  may  say  I  gathered 
this  (Thursday)  morning  two  beautiful  Mushrooms  from  an  open 
pasture.’’ 
-  Grapes  from  Surrey  Sand. —  Mr.  A.  Dean  has  sent  us 
samples  of  Black  Alicante  and  Gros  Colman  Grapes  as  grown  in  a  “  mass 
of  sharp  sand  ”  by  Mr.  Bury  (not  “  Berry,”  as  stated  on  page  457, 
December  15th)  at  By  fleet.  They  fully  represent  all  that  was  stated  of 
them  on  the  page  cited  as  being  “really  first  rate  for  market  purposes” 
— fine  firm  berries,  admirably  coloured,  and  of  maximum  quality  for  the 
varieties. 
-  Improving  an  Apple  Tree— The  Saw  and  the  Pen. — 
In  reply  to  Mr.  Ettle,  may  I  say  that  the  Editor  was  using  a  pen  with  a 
soft  nib  when  he  touched  me  gently  respecting  the  Sykehouse  Russet 
tree  (page  458).  What  I  wished  to  imply  was  that  a  badly  cankered 
tree,  that  seemed  quite  useless  before,  had,  after  being  beheaded  and 
replanted,  become,  as  far  as  can  be  seen  at  present,  a  healthy  and  fruitful 
tree,  without  being  regrafted  by  a  stronger  growing  variety. — D.  W. 
-  Royal  Meteorological  Society. — The  monthly  meeting  of 
this  Society  was  held  on  Wednesday  evening,  the  21st  inst.,  at  the  Insti¬ 
tution  ot  Civil  Engineers,  Great  George  Street,  Westminster,  Mr.  F.  C* 
Bayard,  L.L.M.,  President,  in  the  chair.  Captain  A.  Carpenter,  R.N., 
D  S.O.,  F.R.Met.Soc,,  gave  an  account  of  the  hurricane  which  caused  so 
much  devastation  in  the  West  Indies  in  September  last.  Mr.  W.  H.  Dines, 
B.A.,  F.R.Met.Soc.,  read  a  paper  on  the  connection  between  the  winter 
temperature  and  the  height  of  the  barometer  in  North-Western  Europe. 
-  Imported  Apples. — I  saw  a  very  fine  sample  of  the  American 
King  of  Tompkins  County  Apple  offered  retail  the  other  day  at  the  price 
of  5  lbs.  per  Is.,  certainly  for  the  time  of  year,  and  so  excellent  a 
sample,  quite  cheap.  Selling  at  so  Iowa  figure  one  is  naturally  tempted 
to  ask  what  price  was  originally  paid  per  bushel  or  barrel  to  the  grower. 
Probably  not  more  than  one  halfpenny  per  lb.,  as  so  many  persons  or 
companies  had  to  get  a  picking  out  of  the  2^d.  No  wonder,  if  such  be 
the  case,  that  American  Apples  are  sold  here  so  cheaply.  Still  the  price 
seems  low  in  face  of  the  undoubted  scarcity  of  British  Apples  in  the 
market,  but  how  indifferent  the  sample,  and  badly  selected  or  presented. 
It  is  painful  to  find  that  although  such  numerous  efforts  have  been  made 
to  improve  packing  and  sorting  methods  at  home,  so  little  good  has 
resulted.— A.  D. 
-  Structure  of  a  Flower. — Under  the  laws  of  morphology 
a  complete  flower  is  but  modified  leaf-blade  and  branch.  If  we  can 
imagine  a  long  coil  of  wire,  drawn  in  so  close  that  the  spirals  touch  each 
other,  w'e  may  form  some  idea  how  Nature  draws  in  the  longitudinal 
growth  of  a  branch  to  form  a  flower.  At  times  the  branch  objects  to 
this  summary  proceeding,  and,  after  being  arrested  and  even  the  parts  of 
the  flower  formed,  will  escape  from  the  bondage  and  journey  on  as  a  well- 
ordered  branch  should.  A  branch  of  a  Moss  Rose  that  has  fought  for 
freedom  in  this  way  was  sent  to  “  Meehan's  Monthly  ”  sometime  ago. 
A  few  good,  clear  petals  had  been  formed,  when  the  whole  central  portion 
started  off  on  its  journey  as  a  perfect  branch  again.  Those  who  have 
sharp  eyes  occasionally  meet  instances  of  this  behaviour  in  the  Rose  and 
other  plants.  These  departures  are  very  instructive  to  the  curious  in  the 
secrets  of  Nature. 
-  Brussels  Sprouts. — These  most  acceptable  members  ot  the 
great  Brassica  family  are  now  in  great  abundance  in  shops  and  markets- 
What  a  pity  is  it,  however,  that  the  contents  of  the  baskets  as  presented 
untouched  should  be  so  deceptive.  Some  of  the  very  best  sprouts, 
specially  put  aside  for  the  purpose,  dress  off  at  the  top  quite  handsomely 
the  somewhat  inferior  sample  below.  No  doubt  it  is  as  morals  go  legiti¬ 
mate  trading,  but  stern  morality  asserts  that  it  is  grossly  deceptive.  It 
would  be  so  much  fairer  to  purchasers  to  assort  their  sprouts  and  have 
two  samples,  as  then  no  one  would  be  deceived.  We  have  very  much  to 
learn  and  to  reform  in  our  trading  methods.  Generally  late,  and  greatly 
checked  in  the  summer  and  early  autumn,  so  that  the  prospect  of  a  good 
winter  produce  of  sprouts  once  looked  doubtful,  but  with  the  advent  of 
the  rain  came  new  growth,  and  now  sprouts  are  generally  good  and 
plentiful. — D. 
-  Aristolochia  GIGAS  Sturtevanti. — Would  any  grower  of 
this  plant  kindly  say  if  it  is  common  for  it  to  produce  seed  ?  I  have 
grown  it  for  years,  but  have  never  seen  any  seed  on  it  till  this  autumn- 
when  it  swelled  up  two  large  pods  of  fine  developed  seed. — J.  L. 
-  Magnolia  stellata  for  Forcing. — I  would  like  to  draw 
the  attention  of  those  of  your  readers  who  may  not  know  this  handsome 
ornamental  Japanese  flowering  shrub  to  the  fact  that  it  is  well  adapted 
for  forcing,  and  at  this  period  of  the  year  would  prove  most  useful.  The 
flowers  are  white,  with  a  slight  perfume.  One  drawback  is  that  it  flowers 
without  foliage.  We  have  a  small  plant  2  feet  in  height  carrying  about 
thirty  flowers.— Grower. 
-  Shirley  Gardeners’  Association.  -  The  monthly  meeting 
was  held  at  the  parish  rooms,  Shirley,  Southampton,  on  Monday,  19th  inst., 
Mr.  F.  W.  Rummens,  C.C.,  presiding.  There  was  a  good  attendance  of  the 
members.  The  lecture  was  given  by  Mr.  E.  T.  Mellor,  Hartley  College- 
Southampton,  and  was  under  the  auspices  of  the  Southampton  County 
Council,  the  subject  being  “  The  Soil,”  being  a  continuation  or  second  part 
of  the  subject,  the  first  part  being  dealt  with  last  month. 
-  Onion  The  Aristocrat.— Mr.  H.  Deverill,  of  Banbury,  sends 
us  an  excellent  photograph  of  this  new  Onion,  which  has  resulted  from 
a  cross  between  Ailsa  Craig  and  Rousham  Park  Hero.  The  bulb  is  of 
large  size  and  handsome  appearance,  and  is  an  excellent  keeper,  of  mild 
and  delicate  flavour.  In  form  it  approaches  to  a  globe  shape.  In 
colour  it  is  a  light  straw,  neck  very  small,  shoulder  well  up,  and  very 
solid  in  texture.  It  is  said  that  bulbs  of  3  lbs.  in  weight  have  been 
produced. 
-  SocieTe  Anonyme  Horticole  de  Calmpthout. — Such  is 
the  title  by  which  the  nursery  business  of  the  late  Mr.  Charles  P.  Van 
Geert,  of  Antwerp,  will  henceforth  be  known,  the  successors  having 
transferred  it  to  a  Company,  of  which  Mons.  Antoine  Kort  is  the 
managing  director.  The  Calmpthout  Nurseries  were  founded  by  the  late 
Mr.  Van  Geert,  and  are  rich  in  hardy  trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  The 
successor  of  the  deceased  gentleman,  who  bears  his  father's  honourable 
name,  is  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Administration,  and  the  business 
will  be  conducted  on  the  same  lines  as  heretofore. 
-  That  V.MH. — It  seems  evident  if  “John  Brown’s  body  lies 
smouldering  in  the  grave,  his  soul  is  still  marching  on,”  but  it  seems 
a  very  restless,  unquiet  sort  of  soul,  concerned  because  of  the  affixes  with 
which  some  men  have  become  burthened.  For  my  part  I  never  could 
understand  why,  when  anyone  had  been  selected  for  the  honour  of  the 
V.M.H.  by  the  R.H.S.  Council,  that  he  should  not  be  allowed  to  do  as  he 
liked  with  it,  instead  of  having  imposed  upon  him  the  severest  restrictions. 
My  earnest  advice  to  the  R.H.S.  Council  is  that  they  never  fill  up  a  vacancy 
when  it  occurs.  It  must  have  been  an  invidious  task  to  choose  sixty. 
What  must  it  be  to  single  out  one  as  standing  alone,  and  rising  majestically 
above  the  great  world  of  mediocrities  ? — A  Happy  Fellow.  [A  good 
and  racy  fellow  too,  who  may  fear  being  selected  as  the  “victim”  of  the 
honour.] 
DALKEITH  PALACE  G- ARDENS. 
Everyone  has  heard  of  Dalkeith,  for  its  name  and  fame  have  reached 
from  one  end  of  the  kingdom  to  the  other.  Its  gardens  have  been  presided 
over  by  many  illustrious  chiefs,  and  the  present  one,  Mr.  Malcolm  Dunn, 
V.M.H.,  will  yield  to  none  of  his  predecessors  in  the  high  esteem  in  which  the 
gardening  community  holds  him. 
The  r nd  of  November  is  not  a  good  time  to  visit  any  garden,  and  of 
course  my  narrative  will  be  brief.  The  outdoor  garden  I  did  not  survey. 
Many  alterations  are  in  progress  at  Dalkeith  ;  three  powerful  boilers  were 
being  placed  in  position,  and  the  whole  heating  arrangements  have  been 
overhauled,  while  the  renewal  of  the  roofs  of  many  glass  structures  is 
contemplated.  The  inference  can  be  drawn  from  this  that  a  little  confusion 
will  be  unavoidable  even  in  the  best  regulated  garden. 
Pines  are  well  and  extensively  grown  at  Dalkeith.  Three  houses, 
containing  ninety  plants  in  each,  mostly  Queens  and  Smooth  Cayenne, 
were  showing  fruit,  and  looked  particularly  well.  The  shelves  in  the 
Pine  houses  were  filled  with  healthy  French  Beans.  Two  houses  each  con¬ 
tained  six  plants  of  Musa  Cavendishi,  some  of  which  were  showing  fruit.  One 
thousand  five  hundred  Chrysanthemums  are  grown,  the  majority  as  bush 
plants  ;  but  a  few  hundreds  are  also  cultivated  for  large  blooms.  These 
mostly  occupied  the  vineries  and  Peach  houses.  A  large  Monstera  deliciosa 
was  growing  in  one  of  the  Banana  houses.  A  long  vinery  had  hundreds  of 
bunches  of  serviceable  Grapes  still  banging  ;  the  varieties,  remembered 
without  notes,  being  Gros  Maroc,  Mrs.  Pince,  Black  Muscat,  Lady 
Downe’s  Seedling,  Lady  Hutt,  Sprotborough  Muscat,  Raisin  de  Calabre, 
White  Tokay,  and  Trebbiano.  Several  large  plants  of  Guava  Cattleyiana 
were  noticed  on  the  back  wall. 
The  ferneries,  stoves,  and  other  plant  houses  were  finely  stocked,  and 
every  plant  loosed  clean  and  healthy  ;  hundreds  of  Poinsettias  were 
perfecting  their  bracts. — F.  Street. 
