144 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  February  is,  1m. 
are  greenish  yellow  and  fragrant.  Langhorne,  in  his  “  Bee 
Flower,”  praises  the  Bee  Orchis  (Ophrys  apifera),  and  mentions  it 
as  common  on  Beechborough  Hill,  near  Folkestone,  but  it  is  found 
on  dry  chalk  or  sandy  soil  in  many  parts  of  the  county.  Many 
other  varieties  are  also  described,  and  the  lover  of  the  Orchid  will 
find  much  valuable  information  in  the  article. 
ATTRACTIVE  APPLES. 
“  On  the  occasion  of  the  first  Apple  Congress  at  Chiswick,  selections  of 
varieties  were  made  from  the  immense  numbers  exhibited,  and  published 
in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  Can  a  copy  of  the  issue  containing 
those  selections  be  supplied,  and  failing  this,  can  the  lists  be  republished  ? 
They  would  be  interesting  to  many  before  the  planting  season  is  over.” 
Thus  writes  a  “  Planter,”  and  as  a  copy  of  the  number  referred  to  cannot 
be  supplied,  we  comply  with  the  alternative  proposition.  The  following 
are  the  lists  in  question  : — 
Largest  and  Most  Handsome  Apples. 
Two  of  the  largest  specimens  in  the  Exhibition  are  of  Gloria  Mundi, 
one  in  the  Middlesex  collection,  which  is  nearly  Id  inches  in  circumfer¬ 
ence,  and  weighed  when  cut  1  lb.  2  ozs.  ;  the  other  is  in  the  Sawbridge- 
worth  collection  under  the  name  of  Belle  Dubois,  and  is  very  similar  in 
size,  but  not  quite  so  deep.  Some  fine  examples  of  Lord  Suffield  also 
equal  the  dimensions  of  the  first  named,  Alfriston  coming  very  near, 
and  perhaps  in  several  cases  exceeding  it  in  weight,  while  Loddington  is 
equally  notable  in  a  number  of  collections.  The  following  include  all 
the  large  and  handsome  Apples  most  numerously  represented  : — Annie 
Elizabeth,  Bedfordshire  Foundling,  Betty  Geeson,  Blenheim  Pippin, 
Catshead,  Cellini,  Claygate  Pearmain,  Cox’s  Pomona,  Dumelow’s 
Seedling,  Dutch  Codlin,  Ecklinville,  Emperor  Alexander,  Gloria  Mundi 
(Belle  Dubois),  Golden  Noble,  Golden  Spire,  Gravenstein,  Grenadier, 
Hanwell  Souring,  Harvey  Apple  (shown  as  Dr.  Harvey),  Hollandbury, 
Irish  Giant,  Kentish  Fillbasket,  Keswick  Codlin,  Lady  Henniker, 
Landsberger  Reinette,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  Lewis’s  Incomparable, 
Lord  Derby,  Lord  Grosvenor,  Lord  Suffield,  Manx  Codlin,  Peasgood’s 
Nonesuch,  Queen  Caroline,  Reinette  de  Canada,  Round  Winter  None¬ 
such,  Royal  Russet,  Scarlet  Admirable,  Shepherd’s  Fame,  Stirling  Castle, 
Tower  of  Glamis,  Waltham  Abbey  Seedling,  Warner’s  King,  Washington, 
and  Winter  Hawthornden.  Two  very  handsome  Apples  may  be  added 
to  these,  one  a  new  variety  that  is  represented  well  in  a  few  collections 
— namely,  The  Queen,  which  is  particularly  good  in  Messrs.  Saltmarsh’s 
and  Messrs.  Bunyard’s  stands.  The  other  is  Grand  Duke  ConBtantine, 
which  we  only  observed  in  Messrs.  R.  Smith’s  contribution.  It  is  not, 
however,  a  new  variety,  though  a  very  beautiful  one,  being  of  great  size 
and  finely  streaked  with  rich  crimson.  It  is  of  Russian  origin,  but  does 
not  appear  to  be  much  grown  in  England,  though  it  is  well  worthy  of 
attention. 
The  Richest-coloured  Apples. 
In  no  quality  is  there  so  great  a  range  of  variation  as  in  the  colour  of 
the  Apples  shown,  of  course  taking  them  generally.  The  southern 
exhibits  are  of  the  richest  tints  ;  but  amongst  these,  samples  of  the 
same  variety  from  one  county,  and  even  from  neighbouring  gardens, 
differ  greatly  in  brightness.  Climate  and  latitude  undoubtedly  exert 
the  chief  effect,  but  that  much  is  due  to  soil  is  observable  in  many 
instances.  A  striking  example  of  this  is  included  in  a  collection  from 
Bedfont,  the  variety  Manx  Codlin  being  shown  of  a  uniform  yellow  tint 
from  a  standard  tree  on  a  clay  soil,  but  the  same  variety  from  a  gravel 
soil  has  a  deep  red  side,  the  colour  also  suffusing  the  other  portion  of 
the  Apple.  The  Kentish  Apples  are  supreme  in  colour,  and  though 
several  other  counties  equal  these  exhibits  in  size  none  contains  so  many 
finely  tinted  samples. 
The  following  are  the  leading  coloured  varieties,  a  few  being  local  : — 
Algarkirk,  American  Mother,  Calville  de  Dantzig,  Colonel  Vaughan, 
Cornish  Aromatic,  Cox’s  Pomona,  Countess  Howe,  Court  Pendu  Plat, 
Cowame  Red,  Devonshire  Quarrenden,  Emperor  Alexander,  Fearn’s 
Pippin,  Forge,  Fameuse,  Herefordshire  Beefing,  Hollandbury,  Honev- 
moon,  Imperial,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Kingston  Black,  Lord  Lennox, 
Mabbot’s  Pearmain,  Maiden  Apple,  Margarette  Reinette,  Marriage 
Maker,  Mignonne  Rouge,  Nanny  Apple,  Norfolk  Beefing,  Premier, 
Prince’s  Pippin,  Pym  Square,  Red  Autumn  Calville,  Red  Astrachan,  Red 
Cadbury,  Rasenhager  (Sweden),  Red  Joanetting,  Scarlet  Admirable, 
Scarlet  Pearmain,  Soldier,  Swedish  Reinette,  Sweet  Kingston,  Tom 
Putt,  Trumpington,  Winter  Queening,  Wilson’s  Prolific,  Winter 
Reinette,  Worcester  Pearmain,  and  Herefordshire  Beefing. 
Streaked  Apples. 
Though  several  of  these  are  included  in  the  two  preceding  lists  they  may 
be  enumerated  together,  as  they  form  what  might  be  termed  a  distinct 
popular  type,  and  are  very  attractive  Beauty  of  Kent,  Burford  Red, 
Citron  Apple,  Cliffey  Seedling,  Cowen’s  Victoria,  Devonshire  Nine 
Square,  Devonshire  Queen,  Fameuse,  Flower  of  Kent,  Hall  Door,  Hoary 
Morning,  Jefferson,  Margil,  Monmouthshire  Beauty,  Nanny  Apple, 
Pomme  de  Niege,  Pomroy,  Red  Rawlings,  Redstreak,  Ronald’s  Royal 
Pearmain,  Striped  Beefing,  Sam’s  Crab,  Sheep’s  Nose,  The  Queen,  and 
Webster’s  Harvest  Festival. 
[If  any  of  our  readers  think  other  varieties  notable  for  their  size  or 
beauty  should  be  added,  as  suitable  for  commercial  purposes  or 
exhibition,  they  may  send  us  their  names  for  publication.] 
The  Leeds  PaXton  Society. 
This  Society  will  hold  its  eighth  annual  Chrysanthemum  show  on 
Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  10th  and  11th  of  November  next.  The  Hon. 
Secretary  is  James  Campbell,  The  Gardens,  Methley  Park,  Leeds,  from 
whom  all  particulars  may  be  had. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM  GROWING.— A  CHAT  WITH  BEGINNERS. 
( Continued  from  page  116.) 
Potting. 
With  regard  to  the  number  of  shifts  required  for  Chrysanthemums, 
it  is  somewhat  a  matter  of  expediency.  If  possible  it  is  best  to  give 
them  four  shifts  in  all — viz.  (1)  from  the  cutting  pot  into  3-incb, 
thence  (2)  into  4|-inch,  thence  (3)  into  6-inch,  and  lastly  into  the 
flowering  pots,  which  need  not  be  larger  than  10  inches.  Where  any 
number  under  100  are  grown  this  may  be  practicable,  but  wheie  there 
is  a  large  collection,  pressure  of  other  work  may  necessitate  the  third 
shift  (from  4f-inch  into  6-inch)  being  omitted,  the  plants  being 
shifted  straight  into  the  flowering  pots.  The  advantage  of  the  additional 
shift  is,  of  course,  that  the  final  potting  is  thereby  delayed  three  weeks 
or  a  month,  and  does  away  with  the  necessity  for  using  stimulants  early 
in  the  summer.  In  any  case  it  is  well  to  delay  shifting  the  plants  until 
they  absolutely  need  it.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  equally  important  that 
they  should  not  become  root-bound.  It  is  best  to  pot  a  few  occasionally, 
and  not  the  whole  at  one  time,  whether  they  need  it  or  not.  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  are  variable  in  habit  and  require  variety  in  treatment. 
With  regard  to  the  compost  for  final  potting,  it  is  not  my  intention  to 
give  a  hard  and  fast  list  of  ingredients.  Probably  no  two  growers  uBe 
them  in  the  same  proportion,  or  even  possess  the  same  materials. 
The  truth  is  that  any  good  compost,  made  fairly  open  with  sand  and 
wood  ashes  or  charcoal,  will  serve.  That  it  should  be  rich  goes  without 
saying.  Save  in  the  case  of  a  few  weak  varieties,  such  as  Mrs.  Alpheus 
Hardy,  the  Chrysanthemum  is  a  gross  feeder.  A  little  chemical  manure 
is  a  good  thing  in  the  soil,  but  care  should  be  taken  not  to  overdo  it. 
The  soil  should  be  well  mixed,  and  allowed  to  lie  for  at  least  a  month 
before  using.  I  always  make  it  a  practice  to  ram  the  soil  as  tightly  as 
possible.  Bv  this  means  the  height  of  the  plant  is,  I  am  sure,  shortened 
by  at  least  a  foot.  They  do  not  grow  so  rapidly  to  begin  with,  but  the 
benefit  is  seen  in  August. 
Feeding. 
The  “  feeding  ”  is  a  very  important  process  indeed,  and  a  rock  upon 
which  many  a  beginner  has  come  to  grief.  The  novice  goes  through 
three  stages  in  this  respect.  The  first  season  he  feeds  too  strongly  ;  the 
second,  being  rendered  over-cautious  by  the  last  year’s  experience,  be 
feeds  too  sparingly  and  starves  his  plants ;  then,  after  many  disappoint¬ 
ments  perhaps,  he  arrives  at  the  happy  medium  and  is  able  to  tell  just 
what  the  plants  require  at  any  time  by  their  appearance.  It  is  best  to 
begin  with  simple  soot  water,  the  soot  being  placed  in  a  coarse  bag  and 
allowed  to  soak  in  the  water  used.  All  manures  should  be  treated  in 
this  manner  in  order  to  prevent  sediment  forming  on  the  surface  of  the 
soil  and  thus  choking  the  tiny  air  passages  to  the  roots.  The  plants  will 
begin  to  require  some  slight  stimulant  of  this  kind  about  a  month  or  six 
weeks  after  their  final  potting,  when  the  soil  has  become  full  of  roots. 
This  soot  water  should  be  given  two  or  three  times  a  week,  then  about 
the  end  of  July  a  little  animal  manure  may  be  added.  It  is  well  to  give 
clear  water  occasionally  right  through  the  following  month,  as  it  sweetens 
the  soil.  By  the  second  week  in  August  the  pots  should  be  full  of  roots 
and  ready  to  bear  a  maximum  amount  of  stimulants.  An  occasional 
application  of  sulphate  of  ammonia  if  the  weather  is  hot  and  fine  will  do 
good.  This  chemical  may  be  used  in  the  proportion  of  a  good  handful  to 
60  gallons  of  water,  or  about  1  oz.  to  3  gallons.  It  should  not  be  given 
until  the  pots  are  full  of  roots  and  must  never  on  any  account  be 
sprinkled  on  the  surface  of  the  soil,  as  the  top  roots  will  in  this  way  be 
entirely  destroyed. 
Nitrate  of  soda  is  an  even  more  powerful  chemical,  and  unless  used 
with  extreme  care  will  do  great  mischief.  The  novice  will  be  wise  to 
avoid  it  altogether.  Chrysanthemums  like  as  much  variety  as  possible 
in  manures,  therefore  it  is  well  to  vary  both  natural  and  chemical 
stimulants.  Every  grower  has  his  particular  fancy  in  this  respect, 
but  the  truth  is  that,  as  I  have  stated,  Chrysanthemums  like  any 
kind  of  manure  provided  it  be  used  judiciously.  Some  time  in 
September  I  like  to  give  the  plants  a  “  top-dressing  ”  or  extra  supply  of 
nutriment  on  the  top  of  the  old  soil.  After  being  treated  in  this  manner 
the  plants  should  have  nothing  but  clear  water  for  at  least  a  week  and 
then  gradually  be  fed  again.  The  material  I  used  for  “  top-dressing  ” 
last  year  consisted  of  two-thirds  sandy  loam  and  one-third  ichthemic 
guano,  and  I  found  the  roots  ran  into  it  with  great  vigour  when  the 
plants  were  housed  in  October. 
Insect  Pests. 
Of  insect  pests  earwigs  are  perhaps  the  most  troublesome.  It  is  a 
•  good  plan  to  give  the  ends  of  the  lines  or  wires  to  which  the  plants  are 
