Julio  lft,  1853. 
555 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  and  cottage  gardener. 
No  toasts  were  proposed  at  the  reception  dinner,  but  Sir  Joseph 
Terry,  in  graceful  terms,  gave  an  ardent  welcome  to  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence  and  his  colleagues  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  to 
York.  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  in  responding,  expressed  the  pleasure 
of  the  deputation  in  beiDg  present,  a  visit  that  had  been  antici¬ 
pated  with  very  much  interest,  but  as  his  friend  on  his  right,  the 
Secretary  of  the  R.H.S.,  advised  him  not  to  make  a  speech,  but 
reserve  what  he  had  to  say  for  the  morrow,  he  would  only  then 
thank  Sir  Joseph  Terry,  the  Lord  Mayor,  and  the  Council  of  the 
York  Society  for  the  pleas  int  welcome  extended  to  them. 
As  commemorative  of  this  “act  of  union,”  horticulturally, 
between  London  and  York  we  have  pleasure  in  publishing  the 
portraits  (page  557)  of  the  Lord  Mayor  of  the  ancient  northern  city 
(Mr.  Aderman  Milward),  President  of  the  York  Society  and  an 
active  supporter  of  the  shows  ;  of  Alderman  Sir  Joseph  Terry, 
J.P.,  the  genial  Chairman  and  valued  helper  in  horticulture  ;  and 
of  Mr.  Charles  W.  Simmons,  Secretary,  who  does  bo  much  work  in 
a  quiet  way  towards  making  the  great  annual  events  successful. 
Next  week  we  hope  to  publish  portraits  representative  of  the 
London  deputation,  with  a  full  report  of  the  York  exhibition. 
Judging  by  the  applications  for  space,  which  are  causing  some 
difficulty,  the  show  is  expected  to  be  one  of  the  largest  and  best 
ever  yet  held  at  York. 
STRAWBERRIES  AT  CHISWICK. 
A  MEETING-  of  the  Fruit  Committee  was  summoned  to  attend 
Chiswick  on  Monday  last  to  “  examine  sixty  stocks  of  Straw¬ 
berries.”  Early  Peas  and  Turnips  were  also  inspected,  but 
primary  attention  will  be  given  here  to  the  Strawberries.  The 
whole  of  the  varieties  inspected  were  planted  last  summer,  and 
are  consequently  now  producing  their  first  crop.  As  may  be 
expected  some  varieties  have  grown  much  better  than  others,  and 
the  plantation  as  a  whole,  especially  considering  the  prolonged 
drought  and  no  artificial  watering,  was  in  almost  better  condition 
than  might  have  been  expected.  “  But  why  not  have  watered 
the  plants  ?  ”  (that  were  suffering  before  the  rain  came)  some 
persons  may  ask.  B3cause  it  was  thought  best  to  let  them 
struggle  on  under  equal  conditions  without  giving  assistance  to  any 
of  them,  and  it  is  conceivable  that  some  at  least  would  not  have 
been  materially  assisted  by  artificial  showers.  But  to  the  varieties. 
There  is  no  intention  to  describe  more  than  a  tithe  of  them,  as 
the  majority  were  not  good  enough  to  demand  prominent  mention  ; 
but  at  the  same  time,  it  would  be  scarcely  fair  to  condemn  them 
after  one  season’*  trial  alone,  and  they  are  to  be  grown  another  year. 
First  it  may  be  desirable  to  refer  to  the  relative  earliness  of 
certain  varieties  grown  in  the  trials,  and  as  the  Chiswick  Superin¬ 
tendent,  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  entered  the  dates  of  the  first  gathering 
of  an  .equal  number  of  fruits  this  can  be  done.  John  Ruskin  was 
the  first  to  ripen,  fruits  being  gathered  on  June  3rd  ;  Royal  Sove¬ 
reign  on  the  4  th,  Dr.  Veillard  and  Aberdeen  Late  on  the  5th  (ig 
there  an  Aberdeen  Early  in  the  North  ?),  May  Queen  on  the  6tb, 
Acquisition,  Noble,  Wilson’s  Improved,  and  Reeves’  Eclipse  on 
the  8th,  and  the  majority  of  the  remaining  varieties,  including  the 
Hautbois,  Countess,  Preiident,  Due  de  Mijenta,  Triomphe  de 
Paris,  Princess  Royal,  Edouard  Lefort,  Monarch,  Auguste  Boiselot, 
Sir  Charles  Napier,  Leader,  Bothwell  Bank,  Newton  Seedling,  and 
teveral  others,  on  June  11th. 
Of  John  Ruskin  it  may  be  said  that  the  fruits  though  early 
were  the  reverse  of  high  in  quality,  and  it  was  generally  thought 
that  the  variety  had  been  overpraised.  Those  of  Royal  Sovereign 
were  better  both  in  size  and  quality,  and  the  plants  much  superior 
too  ;  but  though  this  valuable  new  Strawberry  is  enjoyed  by  those 
who  like  a  smack  of  acid  with  the  sugar,  a  few  other  varieties 
were  certainly  richer.  Noble  was  still  considered  useful  and 
profitable  when  grown  on  the  annual  system — that  is,  obtaining 
plants  from  early  runners,  planting  them  a  foot  apart,  and  growing 
them  as  strongly  as  possible  for  affording  at  that  planting  distance 
their  first  and  only  crop,  not  reserving  them  a  second  year.  As 
Royal  Sovereign,  Noble,  Loader,  and  Monarch  have  been  certificated, 
no  awards  were  made  to  or  for  them  on  the  present  occasion,  but 
a  few  others,  were  stamped  with  approval  by  the  Committee,  and 
these  may  be  briefly  referred  to. 
Countess. — A  first-class  certificate  was  granted  for  this  Strawberry, 
with  only  one  dissentient,  and  this  on  the  ground  that  “it  would  not 
grow  in  some  parishes.”  At  Chiswick,  though  not  the  mo3t  robust, 
it  is  one  of  the  best  of  growers,  and  bears  good  crops  of  full 
medium-sized,  rather  dark,  wedge-shaped  fruits.  It  is  the  best 
Strawberry  Dr.  Roden  ever  raised,  and  one  of  the  richest  in  cultiva¬ 
tion— “  almost  too  rich,”  a  member  was  heard  to  remark,  perhaps 
no  small  commendation. 
Edouard-  Lefort. — A  continental  variety,  and  a  good  one,  for 
which  a  first-class  certificate  was  granted  with  only  two  dissentients. 
Few  varietie*  had  made  better  growth  and  afforded  heavier  crops  of 
bright, full,  medium-sized,  conical  fruits,  with  clear  necks,  moderately 
firm  and  of  luscious  flavour.  This  was  one  of  the  best  in  the  Duke 
of  Bedford’s  experimental  trials  last  year,  and  the  Strawberry  report 
from  Ridgmont  will  be  anticipated  with  interest  this  year.  Edouard 
Lefort  has  probably  a  great  future  before  it  in  this  country. 
Auguste  Boiselot. — Also  a  continental  variety,  which  had  the 
honour  of  winning  a  first-class  certificate  unanimously.  This 
variety  is  a  good  grower  and  free  bearer.  The  fruits  are  medium 
sized,  roundish,  of  good  colour,  and  delicious  flavour,  perhaps  a  little 
too  soft  for  market  men,  but  for  growth  for  home  use  the  variety  is 
worthy  of  being  tried  in  many  gardens. 
Those  were  the  only  varieties  certificated,  but  marks  of  merit 
were  recorded  for  three  others  as  possessing  certain  properties  that 
could  not  be  overlooked. 
Acquisition.  —  Three  marks  of  merit  were  recorded  for  this 
variety  because  of  its  enormous  crop  of  large  and  light  scarlet 
fruits  ;  somewhat  soft  for  travelling,  and  the  flavour  was  not  rich, 
still  the  variety  may  prove  useful,  while  its  sub-acid  juice  may  be 
agreeable  to  some  palates. 
Princess  Royal. — Three  marks  were  registered  for  this  variety 
for  its  productiveness  and  general  good  quality.  It  is  a  very  old 
Strawberry,  that  seems  to  have  been  almost  elbowed  out  of  cultiva¬ 
tion  by  at  least  soma  others  no  better  than  itself.  It  is  described 
in  Dr.  Hogg’s  “ Fruit  Manual”  as  “  Cuthill’s  Princess  Royal  ;  fruit 
medium  sized,  roundish  ;  deep  scarlet  where  exposed  to  the  sun  ; 
very  rich  ;  an  abundant  bearer  and  an  excellent  variety  for  general 
cultivation.” 
Newton  Seedling. — Also  an  old  Strawberry,  but  distinct  and 
productive,  and  therefore  three  marks  of  merit  were  accorded. 
One  of  the  Committee  (Mr.  J.  Wright)  was  able  to  say  that  he  had 
grown  this  Strawberry  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  and 
both  in  wet  and  dry  seasons  had  found  it  one  of  the  most  trust¬ 
worthy  and  useful,  though  not  of  rich  flavour.  The  plants  grow 
most  freely,  producing  rather  small  dark  green  leaves  and 
unusually  long  branching  flower  stalks,  and  for  affording  room  for 
the  fruit  there  should  be  a  space  of  3  feet  between  the  rows  of 
plants.  The  variety  is  correctly  described  in  the  last  edition  of 
the  “Fruit  Manual  ”  as  follows  : — “Fruit  medium  sized,  conical; 
skin  dark  red  ;  flesh  very  firm,  with  a  sharp  Bub-acid  flavour. 
Plant  very  prolific  and  hardy,  and  the  fruit  from  being  of  very  firm 
texture  bears  carriage  remarkably  well.”  Some  of  the  earlier 
fruits  are  large  and  good  for  dessert,  the  smaller  excellent  for 
preserving.  Newton  Seedling  is  one  of  the  firmest  Strawberries  in 
cultivation.  It  was  raised  in  1864  by  Rev.  T.  W.  Chaloner,  Rector 
of  Newton  Kyme,  Yorkshire,  and  its  usefulness  ii  recognised  at 
last. 
PROSPECTS  IN  THE  MIDLANDS. 
Although  the  weather  has  not  been  “  broken  ”  as  frequently  as 
wished  for  during  the  early  summer,  yet  occupants  of  the  vegetable 
kingdom  look  fairly  well,  and  of  good  promile  in  the  Midlands.  Roses 
have  done  and  are  doing  splendidly,  many  plants  having  fine  blooms  on 
them,  which  seem  mors  and  more  in  request  for  the  boudoir  and  drawing¬ 
room,  even  the  “  gent  ”  having  them  in  his  study.  What  a  study  “  worm 
i’  the  bud  ”  of  Roses  and  tunnellers  in  stem  of  Carnations  are  1  The 
latter  promise  grandly  outdoors  and  indoors.  “  Malmaisons  ”  were  never 
finer.  Of  the  yellows  Germania  takes  the  “  cake.” 
Who  said  Peaches  and  Nectarines  would  not  bear  good  crops  of  fruit 
when  grown  in  pots  ?  Trees  started  at  the  middle  of  January  have 
grand  fruit  ripe  now  (June  10th),  and  likewise  Figs.  Everybody,  who 
is  anybody,  can  have  these  desserts  if  he  likes,  without  being  as  rich  as 
CrcesuB,  a  small  house  being  all  that  is  required,  with  Tomatoes  into  the 
bargain,  but  these  and  Figs  do  not  do  well  together.  Tomato  growers 
ought  to  make  a  fortune  this  year,  as  the  earlier  plants  are  weighed  down 
with  clusters  of  clean  fruit,  no  disease  of  any  sort,  and  the  late  ones  are 
very  promising. 
Early  Vines  have  done  well.  Hamburghs  are  smaller  in  bunch  than 
usual,  but  berries  flue  and  well  coloured.  Late  Vines  are  bearing  freely, 
more  bunches  cut  off  than  left  on,  and  there  is  no  semblance  of  disease. 
Cucumbers,  which  could  not  be  grown  for  years  on  account  of  “  club¬ 
bing,”  are  doing  well.  Dressing  the  turves  with  kainit,  each  3  inch 
layer  at  the  rate  of  1  oz,  per  square  yard,  ended  the  eelworms  in  the 
rot  heap,  and  those  in  the  house  went  out  with  the  old  soil,  or  succumbed 
to  the  scalding  with  boiling  water. 
Chrysanthemums  promise  splendidly  ;  black  fly,  however,  is  trouble¬ 
some,  but  it  yields  to  tobacco  water,  and  even  mildew  to  soluble 
petroleum. 
Vegetables  are  well  to  the  front,  any  amount  in  their  season,  and 
late  crops  promising. 
Outdoor  fruit  : — Pears,  scanty  ;  Apples,  fair  crop,  also  Plums : 
Apricots  few  ;  Peaches  and  Nectarines  an  extra  good  crop,  never  saw 
finer  ;  any  quantity  of  bush  fruit,  and  though  the  Strawberry  plants 
are  very  old,  they  are  promising  a  fair  crop.  So  we  may  say  generally 
that  things  are  looking  better  than  expected  on  account  of  the  drought, 
which  has  told,  as  it  always  does,  on  shallow  soil  merely  surface  tickled, 
lacking  humus,  and  mulching  on  the  surface  to  keep  the  moisture  for 
the  crop.— Excerpt. 
