August  20,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
ibl 
said  of  the  pod-bearers.  The  Peas  were  bearing  in  a  highly  satisfactory 
manner,  and  the  Beans  were,  and  doubtless  still  are,  admirable.  The 
Scarlet  Runners  were  at  the  time  of  this  visit  CJ«ly  15th)  undoubtedly 
the  finest  rows  we  had  seen  this  year. 
Tomatoes  are  grown  in  considerable  numbers,  and  the  way  they  crop 
proves  the  excellence  of  the  variety  It  is  nameless,  being  a  seedling  of 
Mr.  Blick’s  raising,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  Perfection  is  one 
of  the  parents.  It  is,  however,  superior  to  that  variety,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  a  heavier  producer  of  brightly  hued,  good  sized  fruits  of  excellent 
flavour.  When  anything  named  Perft  ction  is  improved  upon  it  is  a  task 
of  some  difficulty  to  find  a  suitable  cognomen.  Still  staying  amongst 
the  vegetables  or  salads  we  take  a  peep  into  the  Cucumber  house,  and 
see  scores  of  long,  straight  “  fruits  ”  depending  from  plants  in  sound 
health  and  ripe- vigour,  on  which  insect  visitors  are  unknown.  Of  both 
tbesa  and  the  Tomatoes  the  crops  are  exceptionally  heavy,  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  quantity  is  never  allowed  to  oust  the  even  more 
desirable  attribute  of  quality. 
every  bud,  and,  moreover,  in  every  one  of  the  many  splendid  fruits  they 
are  bearing.  Pears  and  Apricots  are  grand,  the  other  kinds  being  little, 
if  anything,  inferior.  Thoroughly  understood  is  the  art  of  growing  fruit 
trees  in  pot.s,  or  such  results  as  are  achieved  could  not  be  secured  year 
after  year  as  is  now  the  case.  _ 
Time  and  space  fly  apace,  and  ere  drawing  to  a  close  we  would  briefly 
refer  to  the  plant  house  and  to  the  Chrysanthemums.  The  collection  of 
foliag  and  flowering  plants  is,  as  might  naturally  be  expected,  of  fair 
dimensions,  and  everywhere  the  best  of  health  is  apparent.  A  large 
proportion  of  the  stock  is  in  a  small  state,  such  as  is  so  frequently  used 
+or  bouse  decoration,  to  which  purpose  in  all  probability  it  is  put  at  The 
Warren.  As  a  Chrysanthemum  grower  Mr.  Blick  long  ago  made  his 
mark,  and  regarding  his  plants  this  year  it  would  be  superfluous  to  say 
more  than  that  they  promise  to  fully  maintain  his  high  reputation.  Now 
j  we  must  stop,  but  ere  doing  so  we  would  acknowledge  our  obligations  to 
'  both  Mr.  Smith  and  his  gardener  for  the  kind  and  hearty  manner  in 
:  which  we  were  received. — H.  J.  W, 
Fl(J.  38.— THE  WARREN,  HAYES. 
Exclusive  of  the  Carnations,  if  we  were  asked  to-  state  what  we 
•considered  the  best  featuie  in  these  gardens,  we  should  unhesitatingly 
award  the  place  of  honour  to  the  fruit,  not  confining  it  lo  the  hardy  or 
that  grown  under  glass,  but  covering  both.  In  varic  us  portions  of  the 
gardens  there  are  large  numbers  of  trees  of  all  kinds,  and  what  wall 
space  there  is  is  utilised  to  the  utmost  limits  in  like  manner.  All  shapes 
and  forms  of  trees  are  cultivated  in  the  best  style,  and  the  most  rational 
and  up-to-date  system  is  followed  out  in  their  management.  Every 
detail  of  culture  is  looked  to  in  the  keenest  manner,  and  well  do  the 
results  repay  it.  This  season  the  crop  may  not  on  some  trees  be  quite 
up  to  the  average,  but  this  cannot  for  an  instant  be  ascribed  to  mistakes 
or  to  neglect.  Bush  fruits  have  been  very  satisfactory,  almost  all  carry¬ 
ing  big  crops,  while  Strawberries,  though  the  season  was  shorter  than 
customary  here,  as  in  most  places,  were  well  up  to  the  mark. 
Under  glass  fruits  comprise  Giapes,  Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  Melons 
as  the  chief,  but  there  are  in  addition  many  such  as  Cherries,  Plums, 
Apricots,  Apples,  and  Pears  that  occupy  the  orchard  house.  The  Vines 
are  in  such  a  condition  as  reflects  great  credit  on  the  grower,  for  besides 
carrying  the  many  bunches  of  fine,  black,  full-flavoured  berries,  they  are 
pleasingly  clean  and  healthy.  Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  Melons  are  in 
their  way  equally  as  good  as  the  Grapes,  and  thorough  in  every  respect 
must  be  the  attention  they  receive.  Those  named  above  as  belonging 
to  the  orchard  house  are  a  pic:uie.  Htalth  is  conspicuous  in  every  leaf. 
SEASONABLE  HINTS  ON  FLORIST  FLOWERS. 
The  present  season  has  in  most  places  bean  a  trying  one  for  those 
plams  which  we  ordinarily  characterise  as  florist  flowers.  The  great 
drought  and  the  prevalence  of  cold  and  drying  winds,  and  in  some  cases 
frost,  have  taxed  the  energies  and  resources  of  the  florist  to  their  utmost ; 
but  in  this  locality  (the  S. -Eastern  part  of  Kent)  we  have  not  been  as 
badly  off  as  in  the  Midlands  and  Eastern  part  of  England  ;  but,  never¬ 
theless,  it  has  been  a  trying  time,  and  the  water  pump  has  been  constantly 
in  use. 
Auriculas. 
These  plants,  which  delight  in  a  cool  atmosphere  during  the  summer, 
have  had  to  put  up  with  a  great  deal  which  they  do  not  like.  I  do  not 
think  they  have  suffered  much.  Some  growers  have  written  to  me  that 
th-ir  plants  look  very  well,  and  I  can  say  the  same  with  my  small  collec¬ 
tion.  The  plants  look  sturdy,  and  the  pots  are  full  of  roots.  Owing  to 
circumstances  which  could  not  be  avoided  my  plants  were  repotted  at  a 
late)  period  than  usual  ;  therefore,  when  1  find  them  in  tolerably  good 
condi'ion.  1  am  the  more  pleased.  The  po's  should  now,  however,  be 
looked  over,  all  dead  foliage  removed,  and,  should  there  be  any  appear¬ 
ance  of  aphis,  it  ought  to  be  brushed  off  with  a  soft  brush.  As  far  as  the, 
woolly  aphis  is  concerned,  I  do  not  trouble  myself  much  about  it,  except 
when  it  appears  about  the  neck  of  the  plant, 
"Groweis  no  longer  dread  it  so  much  as  they  used  to  do,  but  still  none 
