JOURNAL  OF  HORTIGULTU.RB  AND  COTTAOE  GARDENER. 
591 
!>6uembei;  17,  1893. 
PSORALEA  PINNATA. 
“^Tttnioe  ”  asks  a  qaestion  regarding  Psoralea  pinnata,  and  we  can 
tell  him  that  it  is  one  of  the  old-fashioned  hard  wooded  plants  that 
for  some  reason  have  fallen  into  abeyance,  and  it  is  seldom  that  they  are 
now  seen  in  greenhouses.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with  the  Psoraleas, 
amongst  which  P.  pinnata  (fig,  101)  is  one  of  the  best.  When  in  bloom 
this  species  is  really  attractive,  and  should  be  more  generally  grown.  It 
is  a  compact  shrub,  attaining  a  maximum  height  of  4  or  5  feet,  but  is 
seldom  seen  so  large  as  that.  The  leaves  are  neatly  pinnated,  with 
three  or  four  linear  pinnae.  The  flowers  are  produced  freely  but  singly 
on  short  pedicels  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves  near  the  upper  parts  of  the 
growths,  their  colour  being  a  bright  blue,  shaded  lighter  or  nearly  white 
ia  the  centre.  A  compost  of  peat  and  loam,  with  the  ordinary  treatment 
of  Cape  plants  grown  in  a  greenhouse,  suits  the  plant,  and  it  can  be 
propagated  by  cuttings. 
APPLES. 
Showing  Desseet  and  Kitchen  Apples. 
Theee  .seems  more  than  the  usual  dissatisfaction  this  autumn 
amongst  exhibitors  of  fruit,  particularly  so  in  the  Apple  classes.  This 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  at  some  shows  such  sorts  as  Cox’s  Pomona, 
Cellini,  Wellington,  and  other  cookers,  are  shown  with  standard  dessert 
kinds  in  classes  set  apart  for  dessert  fruits.  Moreover,  the  above  varieties 
are  shown,  in  some  cases,  by  the  same  exhibitor  at  the  same  show  in 
culinary  classes.  These  mixed  classes  place  the  judges  in  a  somewhat 
difficult  position,  as  I  know  by  experience,  and  invariably  cause  more  or 
less  dissatisfaction  amongst  exhibitors.  As  we  have  such  a  fine  collection 
of  first  class  dessert  Apples  to  select  from,  is  it  not  time  to  have  a 
definite  understanding  which  are  dessert  fruits  for  exhibition  purposes, 
and  which  should  be  shown  as  culinary  sorts  1 
It  seems  to  me  that  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society  should  be  the 
arbiter  in  the  matter,  and  draw  the  line  for  the  guidance  of  exhibitors 
and  judges.  Last  year  the  Society  issued  a  set  of  rules  for  judging 
horticultural  produce,  why  not  now  go  a  step  further  and  provide  us 
with  a  catalogue  of  dessert  and  culinary  Apples,  also  of  Pears  to  apply 
to  exhibition  purposes  only  ?  Could  not  such  a  list  be  issued  as  an 
appendix  to  the  Society’s  rules  for  judging  ? 
We  might  also  have  the  opinion  of  the  mother  Society  as  to  what  is 
the  most  suitable  sized  fruit  for  the  purpose.  Huge,  unshapely,  turnipy 
flavoured  Pears  ought  to  be  banished  from  the  dessert  exhibition  table 
and  consigned  to  their  proper  place.  If  something  of  this  sort  were 
issued  from  headquarters  it  would  bo  looked  upon  as  a  standard  guide  to 
exhibitors  and  judges,  and  would  be  a  great  boon  to  gardeners  generally. 
— J.  Eastee,  Nostell  Priory  ^Gardens. 
[Would  it  not  suffice  to  decide  which  of  the  usually  marked  “  K.  D.” 
varieties  are  considered  eligible  for  dessert  classes,  so  that  the  short  list 
might  be  inserted  in  schedules  ?  We  may,  perhaps,  add  that  we  have 
received  i;ample8  of  Mr.  Kiddell’s  Emperor  Alexander  Apples  from  his 
York  dish.  They  are  medium  sized,  symmetrical,  and  attractive,  but  not 
equal  in  quality  to  fruits  we  have  tasted  grown  in  the  South.  If  we  were 
judging  a  class  containing,  a  superior  dish  of  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  worth, 
we  will  say,  7  points,  American  Mother  G,  and  King  of  the  Pippins  5,  we 
should  in  relative  gradation  give  to  such  fruits  as  Mr,  Riddell’s  three 
points,  if  admissible  within  the  terms  of  the  schedule ;  if  the  variety 
were  specifically  excluded,  we  should  not  have  a  word  to  say  against  the 
decision  of  the  committee,  and  the  collection  would  stand  disqualified.] 
Ir  appears  the  Judges  of  the  fruit  at  York  have  brought  a  hornets’ 
nest  about  their  ears  through  having  the  courage  of  their  opinions. 
What  is  to  constitute  dessert  and  what  kitchen  Apples  ?  I  should  never 
think  of  placing  Emperor  Alexander  before  my  employers  for  eating, 
and  only  if  I  had  nothing  better  and  was  short  of  a  dish  to  balance  the 
other  dishes  it  would  come  in  to  lend  colour.  Is  it  not  making  an 
opening  for  the  large  showy  varieties  and  ignoring  the  smaller  and 
better  flavoured  sorts  1  What  will  be  the  use  of  growing  such  fine 
flavoured  small  varieties  as  Kerry  Pippin,  Keddleston  Pippin,  Non¬ 
pareils,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Lamb  Abbey  Pearmain,  Lord  Lennox,  and 
many  others?  I  agree  with  Mr.  Mclndoe  that  the  point  at  issue  is  a 
case  for  the  CommRtee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  to  settle.  If 
they  can  settle  this  vexed  question  satisfactorily  then  Messrs.  Lawton 
and  Clayton  will  have  earned  the  gratitude  of  exhibitors  and  judges 
throughout  the  kingdom.— -Geo.  Piokee,  Ifesslewood,  Hull, 
[Every  writer  on  the  subject,  including  Mr.  Picker,  supplies  evidence 
which  shows  that  the  whole  question  is  one  of  personal  taste.  What 
Mr.  Picker  and  other  gardeners  would  not  do  Mr.  Riddell  and  many  more 
have  done.  Beauty  is  an  element  on  the  dessert  table,  and  very  small 
Apples  are  much  less  valued  than  formerly.  The  Royal  Horticultural 
Society’s  Apple  Committee  long  since  decided  that  “  such  varieties  as 
Sam  Young,  Golden  Harvey,  Court  of  Wick,  Lamb  Abbey  Pearmain, 
Redleaf  Russet,  Guernsey  Pippin,  Downton  Pippin,  and  others  of  that 
character  are  too  small,  and  it  would  seem  useless  to  cultivate  them.” 
Lord  Lennox  is  an  attractive  little  market  Apple,  but  of  second-rate 
quality.] 
I  THINK  it  would  have  been  more  worthy  of  Mr.  Riddell  if  instead 
of  charging  me  with  egotism,  he  had  endeavoured  to  reply  to  the  questions 
and  reasons  given  in  my  former  letter,  I  would  strongly  recommend 
him  to  read  it  again  ;  he  will  then  see  that,  amongst  other  reliable 
authorities  on  which  we  based  our  adjudications,  I  gave  that  of 
Dr.  Hogg,  who  states  in  his  ”  Fruit  Manual "  that  Emperor  Alexander 
Apple  is  “  only  fit  for  cooking,”  and  he  further  includes  it  in  both 
his  lists  of  kitchen  varieties  only.  Our  “  good”  Editor,  in  his  recent  and 
valuable  book  “The  Fruit  Growers’  Guide,”  also  places  it  in  the  lists  of 
kitchen  Apples,  notwithstanding  which,  he  now  tells  us  that  he  had 
for  years  used  it  as  a  dessert  Apple.  The  editors  of  other  papers 
give  Mr.  Riddell  cold  comfort,  one  of  them  stating  that  it  is  nothing 
but  a  culinary  Apple,  and  the  other  quotes  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society’s  Apple  Congress,  held  at  Chiswick,  1883,  the  official  catalogue 
of  which  states  that  Emperor  Alexander  Apple  is  a  culinary  variety, 
and  not  eligible  as  a  dessert  variety.  Mr.  Herrin  of  Dropmore,  who, 
though  a  total  stranger  to  myself,  deserves  and  receives  my  sincerest 
thanks  for  his  able  letter,  which  abundantly  proves  the  opinion  of  the 
FIG.  101,— PSOKALEA  PINNATA. 
R.H.S.  on  the  Apple  in  question,  as  they  do  not  allow  it  or  any  other 
kitchen  Apple  to  be  exhibited  as  a  dessert  variety  at  their  fruit 
exhibitions. 
Having  now  quoted  the  most  reliable  anthorities  ou  the  matter  in 
dispute,  it  is  not  my  intention  of  carrying  on  this  discussion  any  further  ; 
but  I  must  ask  you  to  kindly  insert  the  following  communication  which 
I  have  to-day  received  from  the  Ancient  Society  of  York  Florists,  passed 
at  their  last  Committee  meeting  : — Resolved,  “  That  the  Judges,  Messrs. 
Lawton  and  Clayton,  be  empowered  to  take  up  the  challenge,  if  so 
disposed,  as  put  forth  in  the  journal  of  Horticul  ure  of  December  10th, 
re  Mr.  Riddell’s  complaint,  and  the  Committee  hereby  pledges  itself  to 
be  responsible  for  the  necessary  fee.” — Chas.  Lawton. 
[We  publish  the  resolution  with  pleasure.  We  are  bound  to  say 
that  the  words  “only  fit  for  cooking”  are  not  in  the  later  editions  of 
Dr.  Hogg’s  "  Fruit  Manual,”  so  it  may  bo  presumed  its  author  advanced 
with  the  times.  The  report  of  the  R.H.S.  Apple  Congress  does  nos  say 
the  variety  is  “  not  eligible  for  dessert.”  The  compilers  have  done 
exactly  what  we  said  we  should  do  if  compelled  to  place  the  Apple  in 
question  in  either  list — namely,  put  it  in  that  for  culinary  varieties,  m 
we  should  Cox’s  Pomona  and  twenty  other  K.D.  Apples ;  but  it  is 
another  thing  disqualifying  an  exhibitor  who  has  not  infringed  any 
rules,  regulations,  or  stipulations  of  a  society  that  are  framed  for  the 
guidance  of  both  judges  and  exhibitors.  We  do  not  know  whether  that 
