^'426  JOUB.NAL  OF  HORTTCULTURE  AND  G0TTA6E  GARDENER.  October  29,  isiie. 
The  varieties  of  Narcissi  grown  include  amongst  others  Emperor, 
Sir  Watkin,  Poeticus,  Empress,  and  of  the  Polyanthus  section.  Grand 
Monarque.  Of  Gooseberries  principally  Whinham’s  Industry  and 
Lancashire  Ltd,  as  they  are  free  bearers,  heavy  croppers,  and  pay  well 
to  gather  green.  Strawberries  are  represented  by  Noble,  Royal 
Sovereign,  and  Sir  Joseph  Paxton  ;  Plums  by  Victoria,  Prince  Engelbert, 
Rivers’  Early  Prolific,  and  Czar ;  Pears  by  Beurrd  Bose,  Benrrd 
Clairgeau,  Doyenn^  dn  Comice,  Dacheese  d’Angoulgme,  Glou  Morceau, 
Marie  Lonise,  Marie  Louise  d’Uccle,  Pitmaston  Duchess,  and  others  ; 
Apples  by  Bismarck,  Newton  Wonder,  Royal  Jubilee,  Blenheim  Orange, 
Bramley’s  Seedling,  Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  Dumelow’s  Seedlin?, 
Ecklinville,  Gloria  Mundi,  (jlolden  Noble,  New  Hawthornden,  Lady 
Henniker,  Lady  Sudeley,  Lord  Derby,  Lord  Grosvenor,  Lord  Suffield, 
American  Mother,  New  Northern  Greening,  Peasgood’s  Nonesuch, 
Potts’  Seedling,  Lane’s  Prince  Albert,  and  Warner’s  King.  As  time 
goes  on  new  sorts  no  doubt  will  be  added,  and  many  varieties  now 
grown  discarded  as  soon  as  they  prove  unsuitable  to  the  district.  Mr. 
Gell’s  idea  is  not  to  grow  shy  or  poor  bearers,  nor  yet  small  fruiting 
kinds  or  those  of  a  washy  colour.  He  finds  from  experience  that  the 
public  in  general  prefer  highly  coloured  fruits  of  a  large  size  to  small 
fruits  of  good  flavour,  which  is  only  a  secondary  consideration.  He  is 
also  fully  convinced  that  those  which  attain  a  large  size  early,  such  as 
Warner’s  King,  and  can  be  marketed  direct  from  the  tree,  pay  better 
than  having  them  to  store.  Mr.  Gell  informs  me  he  finds  no  difficulty 
in  disposing  of  well-grown,  judiciously  graded,  and  properly  packed 
fruits,  and  that  sample  fruits  pay  better  than  “  bushel  stuff.” 
The  development  of  this  estate  is  being  watched  with  great  interest, 
and  if  it  prove  a  success  many  others  will  follow  suit  with  confidence  of 
at  least  partial  success. — S.  Heaton. 
GRADING  APPLES  FOR  MARKET. 
The  remarks  by  “  W.  R.  Raillem  ”  (page  381)  are  appropriate, 
and  are  of  far  greater  consequence  than  many  persons  appear  to  realise. 
Instances  have  often  come  under  my  notice  where  a  knowledge  of 
grading  would  be  an  advantage  to  individuals  in  the  disposal  of  their 
Apple  crop,  and  an  honesty  of  purpose  to  carry  out  the  grading  in  a  fair 
manner.  If  growers  for  market  would  pay  attention  to  this  detail 
they  would  save  themselves  many  disappointments  when  the  returns  of 
prices  come  to  hand.  Apples  sent  to  market  in  a  variety  of  sizes  never 
realise  the  top  price,  and  when  once  a  fruiterer  finds  this  practice  to 
belong  to  any  vendor  confidence  is  shaken,  and  instead  of  realising  high 
prices  but  second  or  third  grade  figures  are  obtained. 
The  following  is  the  sort  of  confidence  that  ought  to  be  common 
between  vendor  and  buyer.  Happening  to  call  on  the  wholesale 
fruiterer  to  whom  I  consign  the  best  of  our  Apples  a  few  days  after 
sending  in  a  heavy  lot  of  fruit,  I  said,  "  Well,  Mr,  A.,  what  did  you  think 
of  the  Apples  I  sent  you  on  Tuesday  ?”  ‘  I  never  saw  them  ;  Ted  packed 
them  at  once  for  shipment,  and  I  did  not  trouble  to  look  at  them.”  This 
may  appear  somewhat  egotistical,  but  it  is  a  statement  of  fact,  and  if 
such  were  more  common  we  should  hear  less  complaint  about  low  prices. 
Even  windfalls  should  be  graded  into  two  sizes,  or  samples,  so  that  the 
prices  can  be  more  correctly  fixed  than  when  all  are  mixed. 
Apple  growing  is  undoubtedly  a  paying  concern  under  favourable 
circumstances.  There  are  a  few  points  of  detail  that  must  be  strictly 
studied.  In  the  first  place  none  but  suitable  varieties  should  be  planted. 
What  I  mean  by  suitable  varieties  are  those  which  are  required  in  the 
particular  neighbourhood,  and  those,  too,  that  will  succeed.  It  too  often 
happens  that  certain  Apples  luxuriating  in  one  garden  are  a  distinct 
failure  in  another.  The  soil  in  the  latter  instance  appears  to  lack  some 
constituent  necessary. 
Very  early  varieties  are  to  be  recommended,  and  so  are  midseason 
kinds,  but  the  late  ripening  Apples  arc  not.  It  is  then  that  the  American 
and  Tasmanian  products  lower  the  price  of  English  fruit.  It  is  not  wise 
to  attempt  to  fight  against  such  odds ;  far  better  use  a  little  strategy  and 
plant  the  early  ripening  kinds,  so  that  they  can  be  used  before  the 
foreign  shipments  are  to  hand, — A.  B. 
Nerines. — The  group  of  Nerines  staged  by  Messrs.  Veitch  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  show  attracted  much  attention,  and  many  inquiries 
were  made  as  to  their  treatment.  They,  like  many  others  of  our  Cape 
bulbs,  have  fallen  into  neglect  during  the  past  few  years  simply  because 
their  requirements  are  not  more  generally  known.  Few  plants  can  vie 
with  them  for  brilliancy  of  colour,  or  for  conservatory  decoration  when 
well  flowered.  As  the  flowering  season  will  soon  be  past,  should  more 
stock  be  needed  the  bulbs  must  be  carefully  shaken  out  and  repotted 
into  some  good  turfy  loam,  adding  a  little  leaf  mould  and  sand  if  the 
loam  be  heavy.  Five  and  six-inch  pots  are  largejenoagh  placing  three 
and  four  bulbs  in  the  former,  and  six  and  seven  in  the  latter  size.  Re¬ 
potting  should  only  be  done  about  every  third  or  fourth  year,  as  they 
flower  much  more  freely  when  root-bound.  During  the  winter  they 
must  have  good  supplies  of  water,  with  an  occasional  dose  of  liquid 
manure,  keeping  them  in  as  cool  a  temperature  as  possible.  Towards 
the  end  of  March  move  the  plants  to  a  cold  frame,  keeping  them  growing 
until  the  foliage  shows  signs  of  rest,  then  gradually  withhold  water, 
ceasing  when  the  foliage  has  died  down.  Expose  them  to  all  the  sun¬ 
shine  possible,  running  the  lights  off  on  fine  days  in  the  summer  months 
to  thoroughly  ripen  the  bulbs.  There  are  numerous  varieties  in  culti¬ 
vation,  N.  coruscans,  N,  Fothergilli  major,  and  N.  sarniensis  being  most 
generally  grown.— -H,  Wilson,  Bcnham  Park  Gardens. 
Rose  (aetemn  flowering)  Harrisoni. 
We  are  sending  yon  by  same  post  a  bunch  of  *'  Austrian  Yellow,”  or 
Harrisoni  Rose,  which,  as  no  doubt  you  are  aware,  is  only  a  summer 
flowering  variety.  Last  year  three  plants  flowered  in  the  autumn  con¬ 
tinually,  and  we  propagated  from  them,  with  the  result  that  all  the 
plants  of  that  variety  are  now  in  full  bloom.  We  thought  you  would 
like  to  see  them,— Frank  Cant  &  Co. 
[We  are  very  much  obliged  for  what  we  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  before — branchlets  as  floriferous  as  we  have  ever  seen  in  the 
summer  of  this,  one  of  the  brightest  of  all  yellow  Roses,  Every  tip  hai 
its  bud  or  glistening  small  double  flower,  those  half  expanded,  with  their 
setting  of  small  green  leaves,  being  perfect  little  gems  for  buttonholes, 
and  such  as  the  London  flower  girls  would  scramble  for  if  they  had  the  ' 
chance.  1 
Rose  Exhibitors  ane  the  Railway  Companies. 
I  WOELD  like  to  add  a  word  or  two  respecting  the  remarks  upon 
railway  companies’  charges  and  exhibitions.  The  London  Brighton  and 
South  Coast  have  never  charged  us.  They  have  even  had  the  courtesy 
to  forward  a  horse-box  especially  to  convey  our  boxes  when  any  quantity 
were  going  a  journey  which  necessitated  changes  ;  and  at  all  times  they 
have  been  free  of  charge.  Might  not  the  N.R.S.  take  up  the  matter 
hinted  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Orr,  and  endeavour  to  get  a  single  fare  privilege 
for  exhibitors  at  their  meetings  1  The  majority  of  exhibitors  at  Ulver- 
ston  must  have  travelled  150  miles.  The  greater  the  number  of 
exhibitors  the  better  the  show,  and  consequently  increase  of  attendance 
with  more  local  traffic.  The  L.B.  and  S.C.R.  even  convey  large  vans 
of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  free  upon  the  entire  length  of  their 
service. — P. 
The  Oldest  H.P.  Rose. 
I  OBSERVE  Mr.  Piper  states  that  General  Jacqueminot,  still  a  wonder¬ 
fully  good  Rose,  especially  for  market  work,  is  the  oldest  Hybrid 
Perpetual.  I  was  under  the  impression  that  Gbant  des  Batailles  was 
in  commerce  earlier,  indeed  I  feel  sure  it  was,  but  then  I  may  be  wrong 
in  its  classification,  although  it  seemed  to  have  all  the  properties  of  a 
H.P.  The  flowers  were  broad,  flattish,  and  of  a  rich  crimson  colour. 
Other  of  the  best  bush  Roses  of  1851  were  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison, 
Coupe  d’Hbbb,  La  Baronne  Prevost,  helped  by  the  Gbubral  soon  after, 
and  then  they  came  thick  and  fast.  Besides  the  Gbnbral  what  a  splendid 
Rose  still  is  Souvenir  de  la  Malmaison,  one  of  the  really  most  perpetual 
bloomers  we  have.  Perhaps  Mr.  Piper  can  tell  when  the  Gbant  was  first 
put  into  commerce. — A.  D. 
Rose  Notes. 
It  is  not  often  one  can  cut  a  good  bunch  of  Roses  so  late  in  the 
year,  particularly  after  such  a  time  of  rough  weather,  but  I  have  just 
gathered  a  nice  bunch.  By  far  the  best  flower  was  Caroline  Testout 
(H.T.),  the  best  dark  was  Pierre  Netting.  Several  good  flowers  of 
G.  Nabonnand,  a  Tea  that  is  rapidly  growing  in  favour,  and  one  which 
I  am  certain  will  not  be  discarded  by  any  who  gives  it  a  trial.  This  is 
a  grand  autumnal,  and  one  of  the  best  Roses  for  forcing.  Dr.  Grill  is 
another  that  comes  well  with  me,  and  Marchioness  of  Downshire  has 
given  me  some  grand  flowers  this  autumn.  On  a  wall  W.  Allen 
Richardson  has  been  a  perfect  picture,  and  at  the  time  of  writing  I 
could  cut  several  dozens  from  a  plant  growing  upon  a  low  fence. 
A  Rose  which  I  have  seldom  met  with  in  other  gardens  is  Marchioness 
of  Lome,  one  of  the  most  distinct  H.P.’s  we  have,  It  grows  well, 
and  is  more  or  less  in  flower  all  through  the  season.  The  clear  cerise 
shade  in  this  retains  its  freshness  for  a  long  time.  Some  growths  of 
climbing  Niphetos  that  were  made  late  this  summer  are  now  carrying 
some  good  flowers  upon  laterals.  These  are  in  sheltered  corners,  and  1 
fear  the  supply  may  fail  me  any  morning. 
But  it  was  not  with  the  object  of  naming  autumnal  Roses  that  I  took 
up  my  pen.  The  approaching  frosts  remind  one  that  although  our  Roses 
are  practically  over  there  is  much  seasonable  work  coming  along. 
Mulching  and  slight  protection  will  soon  demand  attention.  Those  who 
intend  protecting  Roses  will  find  it  wise  to  have  material  handy  in 
ample  time,  and  to  make  use  of  a  little  of  this  as  an  aid  to  more  gradual 
ripening  than  often  occurs  among  our  Teas  and  Noisettes,  with  their 
late  growing  propensities.  I  am  certain  many  people  over-protect.  A  few 
days  back  I  was  in  conversation  with  a  most  successful  amateur,  who 
announced  his  intention  of  using  the  straw  covers  of  wine  bottles  and 
encasing  his  Teas  entirely  in  these.  In  addition  to  this  his  plants  are 
always  heavily  mulched  with  light  manure.  I  think  this  is  going  to 
unnecessary  extremes,  and  1  often  meet  with  cases  where  the  young 
growth  of  Roses  has  been  almost  bleached  upon  the  removal  of  their 
winter  coverings.  Provided  dwarfs  are  well  earthed  up  with  the 
surrounding  soil  and  a  few  branches  of  fir  or  gorse  fixed  among  them,  I 
see  no  reason  to  fear  even  a  severe  winter. 
Mulching  with  light  manures  is  not  so  much  a  protection,  except  as 
regards  the  few  lower  eyes,  and  these  can  be  more  efficiently  protected 
'  by  merely  drawing  up  the  soil.  The  soluble  parts  of  manure  are  carried 
