October  1,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTDRL  AND  COTTaOE  GARDENER, 
32^ 
rest  for  a  long  time  without  tiring,  and  still  find  some  fresh  little  bit  of 
colour  blending,  with  nothing  to  clash  upon  the  optical  nerves.  Yellows 
and  bronzes  may  be  arrang^  in  the  same  way,  Sedum  acre  aurea  being 
an  edging  exquisitely  suitable  in  this  case.  Borne  of  the  best  varieties 
of  Violas  are  Ardwell  Gem,  sulphur  yellow  ;  Abercorn  Gem,  primrose 
colour  ;  Blushing  Bride,  pale  pink  ;  Bullion,  golden  yellow  ;  Blue  King, 
dwarf,  early,  and  free,  canary  golden  yellow  ;  Countess  of  Kintore, 
bluish  purple,  centre  laced  with  white  ;  Countess  of  Hopetoun,  Duchess 
of  Fife,  light  primrose  edged  with  blue  ;  Duchess  of  Sutherland,  bluish 
mauve  and  white  ;  Countess  of  Warwick,  a  lovely  pale  blue,  sweetly 
scented  ;  Archibald  Grant,  rosy  purple  ;  and  Holyrood,  blue.  This  year  I 
am  testing  several  new  ones  which  I  hope  to  report  on. 
Pansies  produce  such  showy  flowers  that  they  ought  to  be  largely 
grown.  Their  culture  is  so  simple  that  thousands  may  be  raised  with 
but  little  trouble.  A  garden  planted  exclusively  with  them  would,  I 
think,  create  a  feature  not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  In  raising  plants  for 
flower  garden  embellishment  I  do  not  advocate  named  varieties.  These 
of  course  are  highly  desirable  for  specialists,  but  their  management 
entails  far  more  labour  than  the  majority  of  gardeners  can  give  them. 
Seedling  plants  grow  more  strongly  and  splendid  strains  may  be 
obtained  from  firms  of  repute,  and  selected  colours  may  usually  be  relied 
on  to  come  true.  Those  having  flowers  with  bronze  shades  of  colour 
are  particularly  good,  their  markings  being  exquisite,  and  are  shown  ofl 
to  advantage  among  spring  flowering  plants,  in  which  purple,  yellow, 
blue,  and  mauve  shades  of  colour  predominate. 
Polyanthus,  especially  the  large  flowering  sorts,  are  grand  for  beds 
or  borders.  Mixtures  do  well  for  the  latter  and  separate  colours  for  the 
former.  The  soil  should  be  made  rather  rich,  and  if  possible  a  slightly 
shaded  position  be  given.  Lssthenia  californica  and  Limnanthes 
Douglasi  planted  in  combination  form  a  very  pleasing  mixture  of  yellow 
shades  and  cream  tints. 
In  planting  spring  bedding  plants  of  all  descriptions  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  they  have  comparatively  little  time  to  grow,  it  is  therefore 
Important  to  place  them  sufliciently  close  together  to  enable  them  to 
form  a  dense  mass  by  the  time  they  are  in  flower.  Patchy  or  thinly 
planted  beds  will  not  bear  close  inspection.  From  6  to  9  inches  apart  is 
Buflicient  space  to  allow  for  the  strongest  growing  ones,  with  the  excep¬ 
tion  of  Wallflowers,  which  should  in  this  respect  be  treated  ss  previously 
advised.  Should  very  bright  weather  prevail  just  at  planting  time  the 
plants  may  with  advantage  be  syringed  at  noon.  As  already  pointed 
out  good  use  may  be  made  of  bulbs  by  dotting  them  among  late  flowering 
plants,  and  in  this  way  securing  a  display  extending  over  a  long  period. 
It  is,  however,  a  capital  plan  to  devote  several  beds,  or  better  still  a 
group  of  beds,  to  Tulips  and  Hyacinths  alone.  A  gorgeous  if  short-lived 
show  is  then  obtained. 
Their  beauty,  however,  is  generally  just  over  at  a  time  when  spring 
flowering  plants  are  at  their  best.  But  I  have  after  much  thought  and 
several  unsuccessful  attempts  at  last  found  a  way  by  which  the  blank 
may  be  filled  at  once  with  flowering  plants.  It  is  done  in  this  way :  A 
batch  of  Violas  is  reserved  for  the  purpose,  these  have  their  flowers 
removed  till  about  a  fortnight  before  they  are  transplanted.  Before 
this  operation  is  performed  they  receive  a  thorough  watering,  then  if 
carefully  lifted  with  balls  of  earth  attached  they  scarcely  suffer  any 
check  by  being  removed,  and  beginning  to  flower  somewhat  late  in  the 
season  enables  them  to  contiuue  to  do  so  throughout  the  summer. 
Early  patches  of  Calceolarias  are  also  ready  for  planting  out  at  the  same 
time,  and  thus  a  little  diflSculty  is  easily  overcome.  True  it  is,  indeed, 
that  we  have  a  wealth  of  spring  flowering  plants  to  select  from.  Among 
the  numbers  I  have  almost  forgotten  our  old  friends  the  Daisies,  red, 
white,  and  pink  ;  let  them  by  no  means  be  omitted,  for  among  the  many 
beautiful  ones  enumerated  above  these  emblems  of  simplicity  have  a 
charm  of  their  own,  which  will  always  secure  for  them  a  place  in  British 
gardens. — A  Woeker. 
THE  R.H.S.  FRUIT  COMMITTEE. 
I  SINCERELY  trust  noone  will  ever  be  found  following  Mr.  Alderman’s 
lead  in  seeking  to  raise  suspicion  as  to  the  qualifications  or  fitness  or 
impartiality  of  either  Chairman  or  Secretary  of  this  Committee.  A  more 
unhappy  display  of  the  peculiar  qualities  of  human  nature  on  the  part  of 
a  gardener  has  rarely  been  met  with.  Those  who  are  privileged  to  sit  at 
the  same  table  with  Mr.  Crowley  have  ample  opportunities  to  discern 
how  thorough  a  gentleman  he  is,  how  very  unbiassed,  and  yet  how 
thorough  a  gardener,  too. 
No  man  living  could  exhibit  less  of  bias  than  he  does.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  who  would  never  dream  of  attempting  to 
influence  the  Committee  to  a  decision  one  way  or  another.  He  is,  how¬ 
ever,  as  capable  of  giving  an  opinion,  if  needed,  as  anyone  present. 
What  on  earth  could  have  induced  Mr.  Alderman  to  bring  into  his  latest 
letter  reference  to  these  gentlemen’s  vocations  it  is  impossible  for  readers 
to  understand.  They  don’t  bring  their  vocations  to  the  Committee,  and 
no  doubt  are  glad  that  when  attending  meetings  of  the  B.H.S.  they 
can  leave  them  at  home. 
Has  Mr.  Alderman  been  infected  with  the  virus  of  discontent  and 
of  cynical  bitterness,  diffused  in  his  neighbourhood  by  some  dissatisfied 
member  1  It  looks  so,  for  such  criticisms  as  be  indulges  in  are  otherwise, 
inconceivable.  I  ask  him  nut  to  be  so  unwise  again.  As  to  the  matter 
of  gardener  members  on  the  Committee,  I  would  mention  that  of  forty 
names  twenty-four  are  actual  gardeners  and  four  others  have  been  such, 
though  otherwise  engaged  in  horticulture  now.  Amateurs  muster  three, 
and  the  trade  ten.  The  ablest  of  gardeners  do  not  know  everything  by  a 
long  way,  and  the  trade  representation  is  of  inestimable  value.  The 
average  attendance  is  composed  of  two-thirds  gardeners  and  the  remainder 
amateurs  and  nurserymen. — A  Member, 
A  SAD  SEPTEMBER. 
Dp  and  down  goes  the  glass.  Eh  ?  What  ?  No,  not  that  glass,  gentlo 
reader  ;  it  is  my  useful  little  aneroid  hanging  on  the  wall — truly,  as  I 
write,  most  intemperate  in  its  behaviour.  Needless  to  say  it  is  the 
needle,  now  up  to  30^  inches,  now  down  to  99.  Unfortunately  most  of 
us  land-lubbers  (or  rather,  grubbers)  as  well  as  the  old  sea-dogs  know 
what  the  difference  of  1 ,  inch  means,  and  there  is  no  disguising  the  fact 
that  gardeners  in  general,  “  mum  ”  growers  in  particular,  are  having  a 
bad  time  of  it.  Our  friend  the  farmer,  too,  is  beset  by  anxiety,  and  he 
must  share  our  sorrows,  if  not  our  joys  ;  he,  also,  being  catered  for  in  the 
Journal  of  HorticnClture,  if  last  on  its  pages,  certainly  not  least. 
It  was  hardly  expected,  or  perhaps  desired,  that  we  should  have  a 
recurrence  of  last  year’s  experience,  when  during  September  a  tropical 
sun  poured  down  its  rays  and  the  country  roads  laid  inches  thick  with 
dust,  but  after  the  decidedly  mixed  weather  of  August  we  bad  hoped 
for  better  things,  and  have  hoped  in  vain,  for  we  are  (as  I  write)  all  but 
out  of  September  yet  not  out  of  the'  wood,  I,  at  least,  am  doubly 
disappointed  in  my  favourite  month  of  the  year.  Why  it  should  be  the 
favourite  matters  not,  but  as  a  gardener  I  am  possibly  not  alone  in  th& 
feeling.  The  causes  contributing  to  this  effect  are  various,  and  with  all 
busy  workers,  all  admirers  of  Nature,  September  influences  are  soothing,, 
or  should  be,  and,  I  think,  that  as  a  rule  it  is  very  well  behaved. 
Memory  fails  to  recall  any  previous  September  in  which  such  passionate 
outbursts  of  temper  have  been  displayed.  It  has,  truly,  been  a  month 
of  weeping  skies.  Jupiter  Pluvius  has  undoubtedly  been  in  an  angry 
mood,  and  now  Boreas  has  arisen  in  his  wrath,  and  is  knocking  down 
the  long  lines  of  “  mums  ”  standing  on  the  garden  walks  like  skittlepins. 
And  such  promise,  or  more  pertinently,  performance.  Never  have  I 
seen  the  wild  fruits  of  woods  and  hedgerows  in  such  profusion.  It  is 
the  sequel  to  the  glorious  wealth  of  blossom  in  May,  The  thin  wreaths 
of  pearly  Hawthorn  are  now  transformed  into  ropes  of  red  ;  Oak  branches 
bending  beneath  the  burden  of  acorns  ;  bright  berries,  from  the  fiery 
red  of  the  wild  Rose  to  the  jet  black  of  Privet,  and  a  host  of  things 
glutting  the  larder  of  our  feathered  friends.  The  knowing  one  shakes 
his  head,  and  furbishing  up  his  stock  of  folk-lore  predicts  a  hard  winter. 
I  am  sceptical  of  his  theory,  but  time  will  prove  or  disprove.  The  bairns 
have  watched  and  waited  day  by  day  to  take  toll  of  the  lavish  crop  of 
Blackberries  until  patience  was  exhausted,  and  they  went  off  in  water¬ 
proofs  to  fill  their  baskets  in  a  downpour. 
In  the  wide  domain  of  Nature,  where  all  may  see  and  admire,  and 
enjoy,  there  is  still  hope  that  with  the  ultra-luxuriant  foliage,  with  few 
exceptions  still  green  and  fresh,  the  successor  of  this  sad  September  may 
be  in  a  better  frame  of  mind,  and  that  the  year  may  yet  be  crowned 
with  all  the  glory  of  autumn  tints ;  but  of  that  more  anon.  So  far  there 
are  yet  but  few  touches  of  the  transforming  hand,  and  that  is  chiefly 
among  the  Horse  Chestnuts  here  and  there  flecked  with  brown  and  gold 
above,  whilst  strewn  Ijeneath  with  bursting  green  husks  and  polished 
fruit.  All  those  tender  things  which  invariably  register  the  first  of  the 
frosts  are  still  untouched,  so  the  hardy  foliage  has  not  yet  come  under 
the  ripening  influence. 
More  practical  matter  leads  to  the  fruit  proper,  and  that  to  the 
garden,  or,  to  the  fruit  room  now,  for  the  “  busy  man”  has  unloaded  his 
trees  and  stocked  his  shelves,  well  stocked  too.  Nothing  to  complain 
of  here,  but  many  were  prematurely  picked  at  a  time  when  rude  winds 
banged  them  on  the  Iwughs,  and  flung  many  hither  and  thither  over 
bed  or  border  ;  so  the  bruised  were  bundled  off  to  market  (fair  price,  I 
believe),  and  the  best  are  reserved  as  occasion  may  require.  These  are 
Apples  of  good  quality,  though  not  the  highest  possible,  and  rather  over 
than  under  an  average  crop.  Pears  the  same ;  in  some  few  instances 
bush  trees  required,  and  had,  the  temporary  support  of  props.  Plums, 
chiefly  Victorias,  as  bushes  or  standards  were  heavily  laden,  but  the 
summer  rains  came  too  late  to  help  them,  consequently  the  quality  was 
poor. 
Doubtless  spells  of  abnormal  weather  enforce  many  practical  lessons,, 
and  the  present  is  not  without  its  teachings.  One  man  in  particular 
places  no  dependance  upon  it,  regarding  it  as  the  least  dependable 
thing  he  has  to  deal  with.  My  neighbour,  whose  staff  of  farm  hands  is 
for  the  time  being  suspended  from  outdoor  work,  is  congratulating  him¬ 
self  upon  having  taken  the  one  opportunity,  and  now  views  with 
complaisance  his  snug  cornricka  and  well-filled  haybarn.  This  is  m  it 
should  be,  but  over  a  wide  stretch  of  country  there  is,  unfortunately,  a 
state  of  things  prevailing  which,  to  some  considerable  extent,  should  not 
be.  Corn  is  sprouting  in  the  stooks  haj  is  mouldering  in  the  cocks, 
and  it  is  sad  to  see  it,  especially  with  those  who  can  least  afford  to  have 
it  so* 
“September  should  have  been  fine,”  and  “It’s  the  contranest 
weather  I  ever  saw,”  are  two  expressed  opinions  I  quite  agreed  with  the 
speakers  upon  ;  but  it  is  a  poor  kind  of  consolation.  It  would  be  both  unjust 
and  unreasonable  to  condemn  those  who  wrestle  with  the  elements  and 
are  worsted  in  the  fight.  It  is  and  has  been  a  sad  September  for  many, 
but  there  are  a  few  who  somehow  and  somewhere  have  snatched  their 
opportunity,  an  opportunity  perhaps  so  apparently  poor  as  to  be  beneath 
the  notice  of  others ;  these  are  the  only  ones  who  are  now  regarding  it 
with  any  degree  of  complacency,  for,  as  the  Persians  say,  “  ’Tis  the 
same  to  him  who  wears  a  shoe  as  if  the  whole  earth  were  covered  with 
leather,”— INVICTA. 
