March  i9,  1886. 
JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
deserved  encomium  on  them  ;  while  if  growers  of  Roses  in  pots  fail  in 
keeping  their  plants  healthy  and  clean  it  will  not  be  the  fault  of  the 
obvious  practical  writer  “  Rosarian.”  By  the  way,  who  is  it  who  does 
not  know  the  old  Crested  Moss  Rose  1  It  is  the  most  pronounced  in 
bearded  characteristics  of  any  in  the  section,  and  grows  well  on  the 
Briar.  Let  him  order  plants,  and  he  will  learn  to  love  this  markedly 
distinct  and  enjoyable  garden  Rose. 
Words  of  welcome  and  encouragement  come  from  the  pen  of  a 
“  great  ”  Chrysanthemum  man,  Mr.  E.  Molyneux.  He  shows  of  what 
sterling  merit  English-raised  varieties  in  the  incurved  and  small- 
flowered  sections  are.  Let  us  still  forge  ahead  till  we  beat  the  Conti¬ 
nental  raisers  in  the  Japanese  sections  also. 
It  seems  somewhat  out  of  place  that  I  should  at  this  point  strike  a 
discordant  note,  but  connection  forces  me  to  do  so.  Table  decorations 
are  ably  touched  upon  by  “  0.  M.,’’  who  gives  many  useful  hints  upon 
a  matter  of  great  importance  to  gardeners.  It  is,  therefore,  with  regret 
that  I  see  he  advocates  the  use  of  “crinkled  paper”  of  various  colours 
as  a  covering  for  pots.  Away  with  them,  “0.  M.,”  for  the  future. 
They  savour  too  much  of  the  city  restaurant,  and  give  an  artificial  air 
to  what  should  as  far  as  possible  exhibit  only  natural  beauty.  If  you 
have  no  vases  or  bowls  to  place  your  pots  in  cover  them  with  banks  of 
moss,  or  bind  fresh  moss  around  them  with  thin  wire.  The  latter  can 
easily  be  hid  by  twisting  the  moss  over  it. 
These  jerky  notes  have  gone  beyond  their  intended  length,  but  they 
must  not  close  without  paying  a  humble  tribute  to  the  intellectual  gifts 
and  persistent  energy  of  Mr.  G.  Abbey.  His  able  articles  have  appeared 
in  the  Journal  constantly  since  my  earliest  recollections  of  it,  and  he  is 
still  doing  an  incalculable  amount  of  good  by  his  exhaustive  treatment 
of  “  Garden  Pests  and  Antidotes,’*  “  Fungoid  Diseases  and  their 
Remedies.”  Let  us  all  join  in  the  hope  that  be  will  be  spared  to  give 
light  on  these  subjects  for  many  years  to  come,  for  I  firmly  believe  that 
few  will  be  able  to  master  the  deep  mysteries  attending  the  classification 
of  such  entomological  puzzles  as  Troglyphidae,  Phytoptidae,  and  a  host 
of  others  still  more  perplexing.  I  for  one  can  never  hope  to  do  so, 
for  I  have  the  greatest  possible  difficulty  in  even  writing  them.  I  will 
therefore  stop  before  I  get  further  confused,  for  my  eyes  even  now  grow 
dim  by  looking  at,  and  thinking  of,  Mr.  Abbey’s  formidable  array. — 
On-looker. 
[We  have  other  commentaries  of  a  pleasing  nature,  but  space  cannot 
be  found  for  them  this  week.  In  reference  to  the  paragraph  on  the 
“  reminiscence  ”  of  Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  we  may  perhaps  say  that  the  writer 
of  this  series  of  notes  has  by  similar  devotion  and  self-effort  won  Ms 
way  into  a  position  which  many  might  envy  as  gardener  to  a  great 
historic  family.] 
LUCULIA  GRATISSIMA. 
Amongst  the  numerous  winter-flowering  greenhouse  plants  I  do 
not  know  one  to  excel  Luculia  gratissima.  The  trusses  usually  range 
from  8  to  10  inches  in  diameter,  are  very  fragrant,  and  as  they  are 
produced  during  midwinter  are  much  appreciated.  No  cultivator  with 
the  necessary  space  at  command  should  be  without  this  plant. 
But  why  is  it  so  often  seen  in  an  unsatisfactory  condition  1  When 
given  the  proper  treatment  it  makes  rapid  growth,  and  will  reward  the 
cultivator  with  abundance  of  flowers  at  a  dull  time  of  the  year,  when 
greenhouse  flowers  are  scarce  and  often  difficult  to  obtain.  This  plant 
requires  cool  treatment  in  all  its  stages  of  growth  after  the  cutting  is 
rooted.  If  grown  in  beat  for  any  length  of  time  the  plant  will  soon 
degenerate,  and  from  the  remarks  often  made  by  visitors  I  am  inclined 
to  think  that  many  people  attempt  to  grow  it  under  stove  treatment. 
Having  been  successful  a  few  remarks  as  to  its  culture  may  be  of 
interest  at  this  season,  as  now  is  a  good  time  to  make  a  start.  Luculias 
should  always  be  planted  out,  and  the  back  wall  of  a  cool  greenhouse, 
from  which  the  frost  is  excluded,  suits  it  admirably.  Four  years  ago  I 
placed  a  small  plant  in  a  similar  position,  planted  out  in  a  small  border 
about  12  feet  from  the  glass.  The  soil  was  composed  of  equal  parts  peat 
and  loam,  with  a  small  portion  of  coarse  sand,  charcoal,  and  broken 
bricks  to  keep  it  porous,  as  copious  supplies  of  water  are  required  during 
the  growing  season.  This  plant  has  grown  freely,  and  has  now  reached 
to  within  a  few  inches  of  the  top  of  the  wall.  It  commences  to  bloom 
in  September,  and  continues  well  into  the  new  year.  It  flowers  at  the 
point  of  each  shoot,  from  the  base  of  which  other  growths  start  whilst 
the  truss  is  expanding,  and  these  will  be  in  full  beauty  at  Christmas, 
thus  prolonging  the  season  for  a  considerable  period. 
Propagation  can  be  effected  from  the  shoots  of  half- ripened  wood, 
which  will  commence  to  grow  directly  the  old  flower  trusses  have  been 
removed  in  the  spring.  These  should  be  taken  off  with  a  heel,  and 
inserted  singly  in  small  2-inch  pots,  in  a  mixture  of  peat  and  sand. 
Plunge  the  small  pots  in  the  propagating  frame,  or  under  a  bell-glass, 
where  they  should  be  kept  quite  close  and  carefully  shaded,  as  it  is 
sometimes  difficult  to  get  them  to  root  freely  owing  to  the  wood  not 
being  at  the  right  degree  of  ripeness. 
Propagation  may  also  be  successfully  carried  out  by  layers,  which 
can  be  depended  on  to  give  good  plants  in  less  time  than  from  cuttings. 
When  only  a  few  plants  are  required  this  plan  is  recommended.  Take  a 
small  pot  and  fill  it  with  soil  as  advised  for  cuttings,  secure  it  to  the 
plant,  so  that  the  point  of  the  shoot  intended  to  be  operated  on  may  be 
placed  in  the  pot  without  breaking  it,  then  with  an  upward  cut  sever 
the  shoot  half  through  about  G  inches  from  the  point,  peg  firmly  into 
the  Boil,  keep  it  well  syringed  and  shaded  from  the  bright  sun,  and  in 
six  or  eight  weeks  it  should  be  well  rooted.  It  must  then  be  taken  off, 
and  placed  in  a  close  frame  for  a  few  days  before  being  potted. 
In  preparing  for  potting  the  pots  should  be  carefully  drained,  as  the 
plants  are  very  impatient  of  water  in  the  early  stages  of  growth.  The 
compost  suitable  at  this  period  is  peat  and  loam  in  equal  parts,  and  a 
little  coarse  sand.  Pot  moderately  firm,  and  return  them  to  the  frame 
for  a  few  days.  They  ought  afterwards  to  be  hardened  and  given  cool 
greenhouse  treatment,  shading  them  from  bright  sunshine,  and  syringing 
them  on  bright  days.  The  plants  should  be  transferred  to  larger  pots  as 
required,  eventually  planting  them  out  in  their  permanent  quarters  as 
recommended  above.  They  do  not  require  a  large  border ;  one  about 
8  feet  square  is  of  ample  size  for  a  large  plant. 
Insect  pests  are  sometimes  troublesome,  chiefly  green  fly  and  thrips. 
If  not  convenient  to  fumigate  these  may  be  destroyed  by  the  usual 
means ;  for  the  former  a  little  tobacco  powder  dusted  on  the  points,  to 
be  afterwards  syringed  off,  and  for  the  latter  sponging  with  some 
approved  insecticide,  will  usually  prove  effectual. — G.  S. 
APPLE  GOODWOOD  PIPPIN. 
The  illustration  (fig.  48)  accurately  pourtrays  the  above-named 
Apple,  which  was  exhibited  last  week  by  Mr.  R.  Parker,  gardener  to  His 
FIG.  48. — APPLE  GOODWOOD  PIPPIN. 
Grace  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Gordon,  Goodwood,  and  unanimously 
granted  an  award  of  merit  by  the  Fruit  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horti¬ 
cultural  Society.  It  has  been  grown  under  the  local  name  of  “  Lincoln¬ 
shire  Reinette,”  but  in  a  list  of  147  Reinettes  the  distinctive  appellation 
does  not  appear.  It  is  somewhat  of  a  custom  in  some  parts  of  Lincoln¬ 
shire  to  call  unknown  Apples  “  Reinettes,”  and  this  may  have  come  from 
that  county.  It  possesses  some  of  the  characters  of  the  Blenheim  Pippin, 
but  is  quite  distinct  from  that  old  favourite.  The  following  is  the 
description  of  Goodwood  Pippin  : — Fruit  above  medium  size,  3|  wide 
and  3  inches  high  ;  roundish,  narrowing  slightly  to  the  apex  ;  in  shape 
smooth  and  symmetrical ;  colour  yellow,  occasionally  splashed  with  red 
on  the  shaded  side,  and  studded  with  numerous  very  small  russety  dots  ; 
sun  side  flushed  with  red  and  marked  with  several  broken  streaks  of 
crimson  ;  eye  large  and  partially  open,  set  in  a  wide,  shallow,  and  very 
slightly  puckered  basin ;  stalk  slender,  short,  within  the  level  of  the 
fruit,  deeply  inserted  in  a  russet-lined  cavity,  some  of  the  fruits  having  a 
fleshy  protuberance  next  the  stalk  ;  flesh  yellowish  white,  tender,  yet 
crisp,  and  pleasantly  flavoured.  A  good  Apple  and  suitable  either  for 
dessert  or  culinary  purposes.  The  tree  is  said  to  be  a  good  grower  and 
free  bearer. 
Though  this  Apple  has  been  named  “  Goodwood  Pippin,”  we  are 
inclined  to  think  that  Goodwood  Foundling  would  have  been  more 
appropriate.  The  term  Pippin  means  a  seedling,  and  the  name  given 
suggests  that  this  Apple  is  a  seedling  raised  at  Goodwood.  Its  local 
appellation  implies  it  was  not,  but  introduced  and  found  there, 
