July  27,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTaGE  GARDENER. 
69 
FOR  — 
Early  Forcing. 
ROMAN  HYACINTHS, 
ROMAN  NARCISSUS, 
PAPER-WHITE  NARCISSUS, 
&c.,  &c. 
The  above  are  now  ready  for  delivery,  and  for  full 
descriptive  details  of  the  same  and  other  BULBS 
for  forcing,  see  our  CATALOGUE  for  1899, 
which  will  be  sent  free  on  application  to  our  Offices 
at  OVERVEEN,  near  HAARLEM,  HOLLAND,  or 
to  our  General  Agents— 
Messrs.  MERTENS  &  CO., 
3,  CROSS  LANE,  LONDON,  E.C. 
LONDON  FERN  NURSERIES, 
Loughborough  Junction,  London,  S.W.— Ferns,  large 
and  small,  in  variety ;  Aralias,  Grevilleas,  Cyperus,  Ficus, 
Ericas,  Palms,  Dracaenas,  Aspidistras,  Hydrangeas,  Pelar¬ 
goniums,  Fuchsias,  Marguerites,  Crotons,  &c.  Trade, 
send  for  Wholesale  List.  Special  List  for  Amateurs,  send 
for  one.— J.  E.  SMITH. 
THE  ROYAL  NURSERIES, 
MAIDSTONE,  KENT. 
GEORGE  BUNYARD  &  CO. 
Are  now  Booking  Orders  for  Early  Delivery 
of  the  very  best 
NEW  AND  OLD 
STRAWBERRIES 
In  POTS  for  FORCING-, 
Or  RUNNERS  for  OPEN  CULTURE. 
They  offer  the  Largest  Stock  and  the  Best 
Plants  in  the  Trade. 
CULTURAL  CATALOGUE,  including  the  New 
Perpetual  Bearing  Kinds ,  Now  Beady. 
ORCHIDS!  ORCHIDS! 
Den.  Bensome  . 
,,  Crassinode . 
, ,  Nobile  (our  superior  type) 
Thunia  Bensonse . 
,,  Marshallianum  .. 
Lilium  Nepalensis. . 
,,  Wallishianum 
..  1/6 
2/6 
3/6 
..  1/6 
2/6 
3/6 
'-  31- 
41- 
5/- 
215  each 
2/- 
>» 
..  2/6 
to 
51- 
..  2/6 
to 
51- 
J.  W.  MOOEE,  Ltd.,  Orchid  importer!,  Rawdon,  nr.  Leeds. 
No.  999.— Vol.  XXXIX.,  Third  Series. 
LAXTON’S 
STRAWBERRIES  ; 
Orders  New  Booked  for  Early  Pot 
Plants  and  Runners. 
CATALOGUE  ON  APPLICATION.  J® 
LAXTON  BROTHERS, 
BEDFORD. 
TO  THE  TRADE  ! 
DUTCH  BULBS! 
FRENCH  BDLBS !  and  ENGLISH  BULBS! 
SEE  OUR  SPECIAL  CATALOGUE  OF  BULBS , 
Containing  List  of  all  the  Best  Varieties  of  HYACINTH^, 
TULIPS,  CROCUS,  LTLTUMS,  DAFFODILS,  SNOW¬ 
DROPS,  IRIS,  P AGONIES,  &c.,  free  on  application.  Please 
compare  our  prices  before  sending  your  Orders  abroad. 
WATKINS  &  SIMPSON, 
Seed  and  Bulk  Merchants, 
Exeter  Street,  Strand,  Xondon,  W.C, 
HARDY  FRUITS 
A  Practical  Treatise  on  the  Planting  and  Management 
of  Orchards,  Selection  of  Varieties,  Pruning  of  Trees, 
Marketing  of  Fruit,  Manuring,  Ac.  Also  a  few  notes  on 
Insect  Pests  and  their  Remedies,  by 
A.  H.  PEARSON,  Chilwell  Nurseries,  NOTTS. 
Price  7d.,  post  free. 
■WEST’S  PATEN  T 
GARDEN  SPECIALITIES. 
PLANT  POT  CROCKS. — When  one  is  placed  ovei  the 
drainage  hole  it  prevents  slugs,  worms,  &c..  from  damag¬ 
ing  the  plant,  and  forms  a  perfect  drainage,  keeping  the 
compost  from  going  sour.  Fits  all  sizes  and  will  last  a 
lifetime.  4/6  per  gross.  Samples  free. 
“SUNPROOF  SHADING.”- 6d.  lb.  tins,  guaranteed  the 
cheapest  and  best  shading. 
S.M.  TREE  FASTENERS.— The  cheapest  and  best  method 
of  fastening  plants  and  trees  to  walls.  Being  made  of  pure 
soft  lead  and  not  fixed  to  the  nails  (like  patent  wall  nails, 
which  when  the  nails  get  broken  the  article  is  useless), 
they  may  be  used  with  ordinary  nails  for  a  lifetime. 
Under  2d.  per  dozen.  Samples  free. 
S.M.  CLIPS.— To  be  used  in  the  place  of  raffia,  &c.,  for 
tying  all  plants  to  stakes,  &c.  Fastens  instantly,  and  is 
everlasting,  so  saves  time,  trouble,  and  expense.  Id.  doz. 
FLOWER  GRIP  HOLDERS.— The  only  self-making  but¬ 
tonhole,  watertight  flower-holder  ever  invented,  and  ihe 
best  for  show  and  other  purposes.  Price  6d. ;  ladies’,  9d. 
IVORINE  PLANT  LABELS  of  every  Description,  gua¬ 
ranteed  the  cheapest  Imperishable  Labels,  and  the  wording 
legible  and  permanent.  Samples  free. 
WATERPROOF  INK,  for  writing  on  all  kinds  of 
Labels,  whether  wood  or  metal.  The  only  ink  to  stand 
the  outside  weather.  Price  7d.  Bottle. 
GARDENER’S  FOUNTAIN  PEN,  tilled  with  the  water¬ 
proof  ink,  1/-. 
Please  send  Postage  for  Carriage  of  Samples  and  Goods.  Pull 
Illustrated  Lists ,  post  free.  All  goods  on  appiobalion. 
Gratis,  “ORCHID  cui.TU3r.Z3,”  Postage  extra. 
A  Treatise  on  the  Cultivation  of  Orchids,  giving  all  particu¬ 
lars  of  their  requirements,  along  with  our  Catalogue,  &c. 
THE  LEEDS  ORCHID  COMPANY,  ROUNDHAY,  LEEDS. 
VINE  CULTURE  UNDER  GLASS.— 
By  J.  R.  Pearson,  The  Nurseries,  Chilwell,  near 
Nottingham.  Price  1/- ;  post  free,  1/1.  Fifth  Edition. 
Office,  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, Fleet  Street, E.C. 
Greenhouses  from  £3  5/-;  vineries, 
Conservatories,  Frames,  Summer  Houses,  &c. 
Illustrated  List  Free.  Makers  to  H.M.  the  Queen  and 
H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
OTTER,  HAWTHORN  &  CO.,  London.  Works, 
READING.  (Name  Paper.) 
P 
THE  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  can  be  obtained 
from  the  Office,  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  St., 
London,  post  free  for  a  Quarter,  3/9.  Editorial 
communications  must  be  addressed  to  8,  Rose 
Hill  Rd.,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
STRAWBERRIES  IN  1899. 
THE  promise  of  spring  in  respect  of  Strawberries 
has  not  been  by  any  means  fulfilled.  I  can 
scarcely  remember  another  year  when  the  outcry 
was  so  general  of  the  shortness  of  the  supply.  The 
Bath  shops  and  markets,  which  are  usually  so  well 
supplied  from  a  large  area  in  the  West  of  England, 
I  found  on  inquiry  were  very  inadequately  fur¬ 
nished,  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  the  sales  did  not 
extend  beyond  the  mcrniDg. 
The  season,  no  doubt,  was  shortened  through  the 
intervention  of  frost  and  drought.  The  first 
named  cutoff  the  earliest  flowers,  while  the  drought,, 
accompanied  by  such  extreme  sun  heat,  caused  the 
later  set  berries  to  remain  stationary.  There  are 
almost  numberless  Strawberries  in  this  state  every¬ 
where,  and  only  in  occasional  instances  are  there 
beds  carrying  a  perfect  crop.  On  page  7  “  Observer  ’ 
ascribes  the  failure  largely  to  the  influence  which 
the  great  drought  of  last  year  brought  with  it,  hut 
although  this  can  be  admitted  in  many  cases,  it 
cannot  be  so  in  everyone.  I  do  not  think  the 
Strawberry  quarters  ever  looked  better  in  these 
gaidens  than  they  did  at  the  flowering  time, 
although  not  a  drop  of  water  was  applied  artificially 
last  summer  or  this  year.  Manuring  and  mulching 
always  go  hand  in  hand,  so  that  moisture  is  con¬ 
served  by  the  strawy  material,  which  has  its 
manurial  properties  washed  out  of  it  into  the  soil 
by  the  winter  rain.  This  I  alw.iys  put  on  fresh  from 
the  stables. 
Except  on  light  soils  last  summer  there  were  full 
crops,  and  these  were  materially  supported  by  the 
heavy  lain  storms  in  June.  It  was  •  'ter,  and  when 
the  plants  were  relieved  of  their  crops,  that  the 
extent  of  the  drought  was  most  keenly  felt,  and, 
except  in  extreme  cases,  I  do  not  'hink  this  can  be 
made  to  explain  the  barrenness  of  the  plants  this 
year. 
Runners  layered  into  pots  fairly  eaily  last 
summer,  and  planted  out  as  soon  as  ready  on  land 
well  prepared  and  tirm,  have  given  a  very  good  crop 
this  season,  even  after  the  loss  of  their  first-opened 
flowers  through  the  trost,  and  were  as  vigorous  as. 
one  could  wish.  Thcro  were  great  difficulties  in 
No.  2652.— Vol.  CL,  Old  Series, 
