248 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  21,  1899. 
HYDRANGEA  PANICULATA  YAR. 
GRAN DIFLORA. 
When  well  grown  this  is  one  of  the  handsomest  hardy  plants  we 
have  that  flower  in  the  autumn,  making  a  fine  display  with  its  lar^e 
panicles  of  pure  white  flowers,  but  unless  properly  treated  nothing  is 
more  disappointing.  To  obtain  the  best  results  the  plants  should  be  cut 
down  each  winter,  and  the  shoots  in  the  following  spring  thinned  out  to 
six  or  eight  of  the  strongest.  These  ought  to  be  staked  out  singly  when 
they  have  attained  a  length  of  about  18  inches — when  fully  developed 
they  are  from  4  to  5  feet  high.  The  immense  panicles  of  flowers  are 
from  a  foot  to  18  inches  long,  and  6  inches  through  at  the  widest.  The 
flowers  are  for  the  most  part  sterile,  but  some  of  the  smaller  fertile 
flowers  can  usually  be  found  mingled  with  them. 
When  the  buds  begin  to  show  a  good  top-dressing  of  mixed  cow  and 
stable  manure  should  be  given,  and  the  plants  must  never  be  allowed  to 
get  dry  at  the  roots.  Propagation  is  effected  by  cuttings  of  half-ripened 
wood,  which  should  be  inserted  in  sandy  soil,  and  placed  in  a  close  frame. 
To  provide  cuttings  a  plant  or  two  ought  to  be  allowed  to  grow  without 
being  checked,  as  stock  is  difficult  to  obtain  from  those  which  are  cut 
down. 
This  Hydrangea  is  a'so  trained  sometimes  as  a  small  standard  by 
growing  the  rooted  cuttings  until  they  reach  a  sufficient  height,  and  then 
stopping  them  to  form  a  head.  The  panicles,  however,  are  not  so  large, 
and  the  plants  are  more  liable  to  be  broken  by  high  winds. —  C.  J. 
STANDARD  MIGNONETTE. 
STANDARD  Mignonette  is  not  grown  to  the  extent  it  should  be.  Good 
plants  are  exceedingly  enjoyable  by  their  graceful  appearance  and 
fragrance,  and  they  continue  attractive  for  a  very  long  time.  Having 
had  much  experience  in  growing  these  plants,  I  will  endeavour  to  impart 
the  details  of  culture,  which  may  be  of  service  to  some  readers. 
For  producing  the  best  results  seeds  should  have  been  sown  three 
weeks  or  a  month  ago,  but  there  i9  still  time  if  no  delay  occur  for 
producing  good  plants.  Prepare  as  many  thumb  pots  as  of  plants 
required  ;  sow  three  seeds  in  each  in  loam  and  leaf  mould,  and  place  in 
gentle  heat  to  germinate.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings  appear  watch  care¬ 
fully  for  any  appearance  of  slugs,  and  to  prevent  their  depredations  shake 
soot  or  lime  about  their  haunts.  As  soon  as  the  plants  are  large  enough 
to  determine  the  strongest,  draw  out  the  others,  leaving  one  plant  only 
in  each  pot  ;  keep  them  near  the  glass,  and  gradually  increase  the 
amount  of  air  to  harden  and  prepare  them  for  a  cold  frame.  I  find  Miles’ 
Spiral  a  good  variety  to  grow. 
As  soon  as  the  seedlings  are  well  rooted  they  should  be  transferred  to 
3 -inch  pots,  using  for  a  compost  decayed  leaf  soil  and  fibrous  loam  in 
equal  parts,  with  a  liberal  addition  of  sand.  When  turning  the  plants 
out  be  careful  not  to  disturb  the  roots  more  than  can  be  avoided,  or  the 
plants  will  experience  a  check  ;  place  a  small  stake  to  each,  and  remove 
to  a  cold  rame,  where  'they  should  be  kept  close  for  a  few  days  until 
established.  A  north  aspect,  behind  a  wall  if  practicable,  will  be  found  a 
suitable  place  ter  the  frame,  which  should  be  filled  to  within  6  or  8  inches 
of  the  top  with  coal  ashes,  and  as  the  plants  grow  the  ashes  can  be 
lowered  accordingly. 
As  the  plants  grow  they  will  produce  side  shoots  ;  these  must  be 
nipped  off  close  to  the  stem.  When  the  plants  have  reached  a  height  of 
from  10  to  12  inches  they  will  probably  be  ready  for  a  shift  into  larger 
pots,  6-inch  will  be  found  a  suitable  size.  Have  them  quite  clean,  or  the 
roots  will  adhere  to  their  sides  when  turned  out  at  the  next  shift.  A 
small  number  of  dissolved  bones  may  with  advantage  be  added  to  the  soil, 
which  otherwise  should  be  the  same  as  before.  Always  use  it  in  as  rough 
a  state  as  is  compatible  with  the  size  of  pot.  Keep  the  plants  rather 
close  for  a  few  days  until  established,  after  which  admit  abundance  of  air. 
As  soon  as  they  have  attained  the  desired  height — i.e.,  from  18  inches  to 
2  feet,  allow  the  top  shoots  to  branch  out,  and  when  these  requ're  support 
place  them  on  the  trellises. 
In  giving  the  final  shift  a  difference  in  the  compost  will  be  necessary'. 
Two  parts  of  loam,  one  of  leaf  soil,  one  of  old  Mushroom  bed  refuse,  and 
an  eighth  of  charcoal,  with  sufficient  sand  to  keep  the  whole  porous,  will  be 
suitable.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  if  much  sand  is  used  it  will  add  to  the 
fragrance  of  the  flowers,  but  for  the  accuracy  of  this  I  cannot  vouch.  In 
placing  on  the  trellises  make  ilhem  as  firm  as  possible,  pushing  the  stakes 
well  through  the  soil.  Mine  are  made  of  galvanised  wire,  arid  range 
from  15  to  20  inches  in  diameter,  8  to  12  inches  in  depth,  with  stems 
from  2  to  3  feet  in  length. 
Pots  10  inches  in  diameter  will  be  large  enough  ;  they  should  be  well 
drained,  as  Mignonette  is  very  impatient  of  too  much  moisture  at  the 
roots  during  the  winter.  Cover  the  potsherds  with  new  leaves,  or,  better 
still,  fragments  of  fibrous  loam,  with  the  fine  soil  shaken  out;  pot  rather 
firmly,  leaving  an  inch  of  space  to  allow  for  top-dressing.  These  are 
small  matters,  but  essential  for  attaining  success.  As  the  growths  extend 
stop  and  tie  them  down,  regulating  them  so  as  to  cover  the  trellises  as 
evenly  as  possible.  As  the  days  shorten  the  plants  must  have  a  light  airy 
position  near  the  glass.  When  they  have  overspread  the  trellises  cease 
stopping,  and  allow  them  to  flower.  It  will  be  found  necessary  to  tie  the 
shoots  down  once  more  to  keep  the  plants  compact  and  shapely.  They 
will  now  derive  benefit  from  a  top-dressing  of  soil  similar  to  that  used  in 
potting. 
Mignonette  delights  in  a  humid  atmosphere  during  its  early  stages  of 
growth,  but  as  the  weather  b*  comes  less  dry  the  plants  require  less 
moisture,  both  at  the  roots  and  in  the  atmosphere,  until  the  flowering 
period,  when  they'  will  again  require  abundance  of  water.  When  flowering 
they  are  gross  feeders,  and  are  much  benefited  by  occasional  applications 
of  liquid  manure,  or  the  surface  of  the  soil  sprinkled  with  Clay’s  fertiliser 
at  intervals  of  eight  or  ten  days.  As  seed  pods  appear  they  must  be 
nipped  off  ;  this  will  prolong-  the  flowering  season.  My  plants  last  in 
bloom  from  the  middle  of  February  to  the  first  week  in  .June.  They 
should  be  shaded  from  hot  sun. — N. 
EXHIBITING  MELONS. 
“W.  S.”  (page  223)  has,  in  relation  to  the  judging  of  Melons  at  exhibi¬ 
tions,  striven  to  lead  a  forlorn  hope.  No  man.  acting  as  a  judge,  would 
be  worth  his  salt  who  awarded  prizes  to  Melons  solely  by  appearance. 
The  most  beautiful  externally  may  prove  positively  uneatable.  If  it  is  a 
fact,  though  I  do  not  think  it  is,  that  in  a  Melon  competition  the  smallest 
and  most  incorrectly  finished  fruit  is  found,  on  tasting,  to  be  the  richest 
flavoured,  whilst  the  largest  and  noblest  looking  is  probably  the  worst, 
does  it  not  show  that  our  methods  of  Melon  culture  are  absolutely 
wrong,  and  that  we  are  generally  labouring  to  produce  big,  if  handsome, 
compounds  of  water  utterly  devoid  of  soul,  that  is — flavour  ? 
Which  finds  more  favour  as  a  flower,  a  deliciously  perfumed 
Devoniensis  Rose,  or  a  huge  scentless  Hardy  Perpetual  !  Is  not  the  perfume 
in  Roses,  Carnations,  and  other  flowers  their  great  charm  ?  Is  it  not  flavour 
which  puts  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  never  a  big  or  showy  fruit,  so  far  beyond  a 
large  and  handsome  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch  or  Blenheim  Pippin,  or  other 
grand  looking  Apples  ?  Eliminate  flavour  from  Melons  and  they  are  only 
small  Pumpkins,  practically  worthless.  I  fear,  judging  by  what  I  have  to 
taste  now  and  then,  that  many  persons  never  get  a  high-flavoured  Melon 
on  their  tables.  It  that  be  so  they  merit  some  pity.  It  is  better  to  have 
a  small  fruit,  the  flesh  of  which  is  so  delicious  that  it  tempts  to  taste 
again  and  again,  than  a  grand  looking  specimen  the  flesh  of  which  when 
tasted  is  so  flavourless,  perhaps  even  offensive,  that  it  is  rejected  with 
possible  execration. 
Rather  than  write  to  excuse  the  grave  deficiencies  of  flavour  found 
in  such  erratic  fruits  as  Melons,  would  it  not  be  better  to  seek  for  infor¬ 
mation  as  to  how  to  produce  in  them  the  best  flavour,  even  though  the 
fruits  may  be  smaller?  Only  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Fruit  Committee 
one  of  the  ablest  of  Melon  growers  put  before  the  members  three  fruits, 
different  varieties,  and,  as  is  said  to  be  so  commonly  the  case,  the  smallest, 
probably  a  4  lb.  fruit,  gave  by  far  the  best  flavour  :  indeed,  it  was  delicious. 
I  advise  judges  not  to  deviate  from  their  rightful  duty  of  tasting  Melons 
in  competition  by  any  special  pleading  against  the  practice. 
Once  get  rid  of  flavour  as  the  chief  quality  in  Melons,  then  we  should 
see  the  biggest  fruits  only  favoured  at  shows.  Fancy  the  R.H.S.  Fruit 
Committee  making  awards  to  Melons  without  tasting  them.  The 
suggestion  is  so  absurd  as  to  be  comical.  Too  often  the  standard  of 
flavour  is  not  set  high  enough.  It  should  now  be  very  exacting.  The 
proposal  to  have  white,  green,  and  scarlet-flesh  Melons  iri  a  class  is  too 
absurd.  Not  on  one  occasion  in  ten  can  anyone  tell  whether  a  Melon 
flesh  is  absolutely  of  the  colour  stated  until  it  is  cut.  Have  pairs  of 
Melons  if  you  like,  but  stipulations  as  to  colour  are  valueless. 
I  am  perfectly  aware  that  in  collections  of  fruits  Melons  are  judged  by 
appearance.  It  is  not  wise  practice  any  the  more.  If  an  exhibitor  stages 
fair  Muscat  of  Alexandria  Grapes  in  such  a  collection,  the  well  known 
flavour  of  that  variety  practically  outweighs  superb  Gros  Moroc  or  Groa 
Column  Grapes  in  a  competing  collection,  because  the  latter  are  inferior 
in  flavour.  The  same  principle  should  apply  to  Melons,  and  therefore 
such  Melons  ought  to  be  tasted. — A.  D. 
There  is  a  great  deal  in  what  “W.  S.”  has  said  against  the  almost 
universal  practice  of  cutting,  and  of  course  spoiling.  Melons  that  are  sent 
to  shows.  But  speaking  from  a  fairly  lengthened  experience  I  think  that 
exhibitois  as  a  whole  are  better  satisfied  when  their  fruits  are  tasted;, 
the  only  people  to  be  pitied  are  the  Judges.  I  do  not  know  a  worse  task 
than  wading  through  a  dozen  or  two  of  Melons,  tasting  them  all,  and 
then  having  to  taste  again  to  find  the  right  one. 
Despite  what  has  been  said  to  the  contrary,  it  is  usually  a  difficult 
matter  to  judge  of  flavour  by  appearance,  and  a  case  in  point  was  a  fruit  I 
exhibited  and  won  with  at  a  show  in  the  neighbourhood.  Try  what  I 
would  the  fruit  would  not  colour  properly,  so  the  time-honoured  pail  of 
boiling  water  was  placed  on  the  roots  for  two  nights  in  succession,  killing 
the  plant  but  having  the  desired  effect  of  colouring  the  fruit.  Now,  no 
one  would  have  expected  this  fruit  to  be  of  good  flavour,  but  it  was 
excellent  and  ripe  to  the  rind,  disappearing  at  a  single  meal  in  the  dining 
room.  I  was  congratulating  myself  that  the  fruit  was  not  cut  at  the  show, 
but  1  need  have  had  no  fear  as  to  the  result. 
“  W.  S.,”  perhaps,  lays  a  little  too  much  stress  upon  size.  I  like  a 
small,  heavy  Melon,  and  though  disliking  scrubby  fruit  as  much  as  anyone, 
cannot  agree  that  the  largest  fruits  show  the  highest  culture.  Large 
Melons,  if  well  netted  and  highly  finished,  are,  of  course,  they  that  should 
win  in  competition,  but  too  often  they  lack  finish  and  weight. 
As  to  the  suggestion  of  several  classes  being  required,  I  fail  to  see  the 
advantage  of  even  keeping  the  green  and  the  scarlet  fleshed  varieties 
apart.  Why  cannot  they  be  judged  on  their  merits  as  Grapes  are,  and,  of 
course,  if  more  classes  are  needed,  give  prizes  for  each  ?  No  judge  would 
have  a  difficulty  in  deciding  between  good  Muscats  and  Black  Alicantes 
for  flavour  any  more  than  he  would  between  Madresfield  Court  or  Mrs. 
Rmce  and  Golden  Queen.  What  is  really  needed  is  a  weeding  out  of 
many  worthless  varieties  of  Melons  that  only  swell  seedmen’s  lists,  and 
are,  individually,  worthless. — H.  Richards. 
