December  14,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
527 
IXIOLIRION  MONTANUM. 
We  can  tell  “  R.  Browne”  that  tho  two  “Ixia  Lilies”  known  in 
gardens  are  Ixiolirion  montanum  and  I.  tataricnm.  Both  are  attractive 
border  plants  and  form  welcome  additions  to  any  collection  of  hardy 
favourites.  They  are  suggestive  of  Camassia  esculenta  in  the  form  and 
colour  of  the  flowers,  especially  the  first-named,  which  is  represented  in 
the  woodcut  (fig.  93),  but  they  are  not  quite  so  strong  growing  as  that, 
though  very  free  and  Auriferous.  I.  montanum  has  been  found  in  Persia 
upon  the  hills  about  Teheran  and  in  other  similar  districts  of  temperate 
Asia.  It  is  quite  hardy  in  the  neighbourhood  of  London  permanently 
planted  out  in  the  borders.  A  moderately  good  soil  appears  to  suit  it 
better  than  one  that  is  very  rich,  as  in  the  latter  case  the  growth  is 
excessively  luxuriant  and  the  flowers  proportionately  few.  In  a  well- 
drained  position,  where  the  bulbs  become  thoroughly  matured,  flowers 
are  annually  produced  very  freely,  and  are  not  only  attractive  in  the 
borders,  but  afford  a  useful  supply  for  cutting,  the  bright  purplish  blue 
colour  being  most  agreeable  for  associating  with  the  numerous  other 
tints,  which  are  more  common. 
LIVERPOOL  NOTES. 
The  Year’s  Fruit  Crop. 
The  splendid  fruit  exhibited  at  the  recent  Show  in  St.  George’s 
Hall,  and  the  high  encomiums  passed  upon  the  Herefordshire  Apples, 
led  me  to  think  of  what  our  district  had  been  doing.  We  have  not 
had  a  large  crop  this  year,  but  what  was  gathered  has  proved  of  very 
fine  quality,  judging  by  the  splendid  local  samples  seen  at  the  above 
show.  I  feel  confident  that  the  majority  of  our  gardeners  are  fully 
realising  the  necessity  of  only  growing  few  varieties  rather  than 
filling  in  every  variety  taking  to  the  eye,  without  a  due  regard  to 
their  fitness  to  do  real  and  useful  service.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  and 
gradually  the  old  gnarled  trees  are  being  weeded  out,  and  their  places 
filled  by  reliable  fruiting  varieties. 
In  one  of  the  poorest  fruit  years  on  record  the  following  have  stood 
out  prominently,  and  carried  heavy  crops — Alfriston,  Beauty  of  Kent, 
Bismarck,  Keswick  Codlin,  Court  Pendu  Plat,  Dumelow’s  Seedling, 
Ecklinville  Seedling,  Golden  Noble,  New  and  Old  Hawthornden, 
Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Warner’s  King,  Reinette  du  Canada,  Northern 
Greening,  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Ribston  Pippin, 
and  Stirling  Castle.  Lord  Suffield,  which  is  by  many  considered 
tender,  never  fails  in  any  situation.  One  of  our  best  bearing  trees  is 
planted  in  a  north  aspect,  the  soil  being  heavy  and  damp,  and  the 
ground  scarcely  ever  receiving  a  ray  of  sunshine,  but  the  roots  are 
attended  to. 
The  Pear  crop  has  indeed  been  poor.  Beurre  Bose,  Beurre 
Clairgeau,  Beurre  de  Capiaumont,  Beurre  Diel  have  been  splendid 
this  year  from  a  wall,  hut  useless  always  from  bush  trees.  Beurre 
Ranee,  a  late  variety,  we  cmnot  forego ;  Doyenne  du  Comice, 
Fondante  d’Automne,  Glou  Morceau,  Jargonelle,  Huvshe’s  Prince 
Consort  (grand),  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  and  Thompson’s  have  proved 
of  great  service. 
Of  Plums  Victoria  has  been  an  enormous  crop,  branches  having  to 
he  propped.  The  tree  is  planted  with  a  large  flag  underneath;  the 
roots  are  on  the  surface,  frequent  top-dressing  being  all  that  is 
required. 
Strawberries  got  badly  cut  with  late  frosts.  Scarlet  Queen,  a  too 
little  known  variety  ;  James  Veitch,  Royal  Sovereign,  President, 
Waterloo,  and  Latest  of  All  were  the  finest.  Raspberries  were  extra ; 
Gooseberries  and  Red  Currants  well  laden,  but  Black  Currants  only 
moderate,  with  Cherries  fairly  good.  At  the  present  time  all  kinds  of 
fruit  trees  look  in  the  best  of  trim  for  future  work,  but  in  the  midst 
of  such  mild  weather  one  cannot  well  tell  the  inner  workings  of  root 
and  branch,  or  what  the  outcome  may  be. 
The  Late  Sir  Henry  Tate,  Bart.,  J.P. 
A  feeling  of  regret  was  experienced  by  all  classes  when  it  became 
known  that  Sir  Henry  Tate,  Bart.,  had  passed  away  at  the  ripe  age  of 
fourscore  years.  He  was  well  known  to  Liverpool  people,  owing  to  the 
great  industry  carried  on  in  the  city,  and  by  his  many  splendid  gifts  in 
the  cause  of  education.  In  horticulture,  too,  his  sympathy  was  apparent 
by  many  kindly  deeds  and  his  love  for  all  that  was  good  and  beautiful 
in  Nature.  Two  sons  living  here,  Mr.  W.  H.  Tate  of  Highfield, 
Woolton,  and  Mr.  Henry  Tate,  jun.,  Allerton  Beeches,  also  Mr.  Alfred 
Tate  of  Downside,  Leatherhead,  have  followed  in  their  parent’s  steps, 
the  gardens  attached  to  their  residences  being  well  kept,  interesting, 
and  stocked  with  the  best  of  everything  that  could  delight  and  pleaBe 
the  eye. 
POINSETTIAS. 
Whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of  other  parts  of  the  kingdom  as 
to  the  market  value  of  Poinsettias,  the  Liverpool  people  do  not  buy 
them  at  all  readily  at  the  present  time.  Asked  for  an  explanation  of 
this  a  salesman  could  give  me  none,  unless  it  was  that  people  took 
more  kindly  to  the  indispensable  Chrysanthemum,  the  blooms  of  Niveus 
which  are  now  coming  in  being  sufficient  to  charm  all  beholders. 
Yet,  in  spite  of  it  all,  the  gorgeous  colour  of  the  Poinsettia  arrests  the 
attention  of  everyone,  and  that,  too,  when  arranged  in  proximity  to 
other  flowers  for  contrasting  effect.  If  they  could  be  grown  so  as  to 
be  in  perfection  at  Christmas  time  the  value  for  church  decoration 
alone  would  be  greatly  enhanced. 
Cyclamens  at  Aigburth  Nursery. 
Beautiful  as  was  the  large  exhibit  made  at  the  recent  Show  at 
St.  George’s  Hall,  it  pales  before  the  excellent  display  which  is  now 
on  view  at  the  Aigburth  Nursery  of  Messrs.  R.  P.  Ker  &  Sons.  Few 
men  have  done  greater  service  in  the  developing  and  beautifying  of 
so  important  a  winter  flowering  plant  than  Mr.  Hugh  Ranger,  Messrs. 
Ker’s  manager,  and  they  are  a  long  way  ahead  this  season,  both  as 
Fig.  93. — Ixiolirion  montanum. 
regards  foliage  and  flower.  The  former  struck  me  by  its  solidity’and 
colour,  and  on  asking  if  there  was  anything  special  to  account  for  it, 
I  was  informed  that  the  plants  had  never  had  the  slightest  shade 
during  the  hot  summer  through  which  we  have  passed.  Cyclamen 
growers  would  do  well  to  note  that  a  little  air  and  no  shading  is  a  good 
way  to  reap  the  best  results.  The  new  feathered  varieties  I  am  not 
in  love  with. — R.  P.  R. 
Insects  on  Brussels  Sprouts  — The  note  on  this  subject  in 
the  correspondence  columns,  page  463,  will  I  think  be  of  interest  to 
many  readers,  as  this  pest  is  more  prolific  this  season  than  I  have  ever 
seen  it.  It  appears  that  the  long  drought  is  directly  responsible  for  it, 
and  if  means  are  not  taken  to  check  its  onward  career  the  loss  may  be 
serious.  Only  the  other  day  I  saw  a  patch  of  Brussels  Sprouts  in  a 
small  garden  that  was  irretrievably  ruined  by  the  Cabbage  aphis.  They 
seemed  to  have  taken  sole  possession  of  every  plant,  with  the  result  that  the 
latter  had  assumed  a  sickly  flabby  appearance,  and  had  evidently  stopped 
growing.  I  have  also  observed  that  the  weakest  plants  go  first,  and  in 
other  gardens  I  have  noticed  one  here  and  there  affected  very  badly 
while  healthy  specimens  near  were  quite  clear.  It  is  obvious  in  such  cases 
the  fire  heap  is  the  best  place  for  weakly  infested  stalks  as  a  means  of 
saving  those  that  are  clean  and  healthy — H. 
