September  2,  1897, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
215 
under  its  present  name.  One  cannot  claim  for  Cherries  the  improvement 
that  is  manifest  in  other  fruits.  The  gumming  and  canker  to  which  the 
tree  is  so  subject  has  rather  disheartened  the  growers,  and  many  of  the 
old  Cherry  orchards  are  dying  out,  although  there  are  still  some  very 
fine  ones  about  the  country.  Gooseberries,  Black  and  Red  Currants,  as 
well  as  Kaspberries,  have  kept  pace  with  the  times,  and  many  extra  fine 
varieties  have  been  added  to  the  list. 
The  cultivation  of  Strawberries  has  risen  by  leaps  and  bounds,  and  we 
can  claim  all  the  existing  varieties  to  belong  to  the  period  of  her 
Majesty’s  reign.  I  remember  the  Hautbois,  the  Elton  Pine,  Myatt’s 
Eleanor,  and  British  Queen  in  my  younger  days.  Now  we  have  such 
splendid  ones  as  Royal  Sovereign,  Sir  .Joseph  Paxton,  Laxton’s  Noble, 
I’resident,  Sir  Ehas.  Napier,  .James  Veitch,  La  Grosse  Sucreie,  and 
Waterloo,  all  with  strong  constitutions,  grown  in  fields  by  the  hundreds  of 
acres.  More  speculators  than  one  are  making  a  large  commercial  trans¬ 
action  in  the  cultivation  of  this  wholesome  and  delicious  fruit.  Here  in 
Hampshire,  at  Botley  and  Salisbury,  and  also  at  Swanley,  in  Kent, 
and  in  some  parts  of  Berkshire,  acres  are  cultivated,  and  tons  of  fruit 
despatched  by  special  fruit  trains  to  the  large  provincial  towns  in  the 
Midland  and  North  of  England.  As  many  as  11  tons  have  been 
despatched  from  Swanley  Station  by  one  individual  grower  in  one  day. 
When  we  come  to  consider  the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
cultivation  and  consumption  of  the  fruit  one  can  then  realise  to  a  certain 
degree  its  benefit  to  the  community.  The  labourers  in  the  fields,  the 
basket  makers,  the  salesmen,  the  hawkers,  the  jam  factories,  the  glass 
and  stone  ware  jar  manufacturers,  have  all  a  share  in  this  comparatively 
new  industry. 
VEftETABLES. 
I  shall  not  attempt  to  enumerate  the  many  new  introductions  in  the 
various  cla-sses  of  vegetables.  It  must  be  sufficient  to  say  that  the 
gardener  of  to-day  has  something  better  to  work  on  than  he  of  the 
past  generation.  The  old  grower,  while  digging  and  storing  his  smooth 
and  polished  White  Beauty,  Snowflakes,  Supremes,  or  Ashtop  flukes, 
cannot  but  recall  the  difference  between  these  and  the  Pink-ej>'ed  Never- 
blows.  Gold  Tops,  Dalmahoys,  Rocks,  and  Champions  of  his  younger 
days.  In  Broccoli  and  Cauliflowers  that  grand  variety  Veitch’s  Autumn 
Cauliflower,  and  their  Self-protecting  Autumn  Broccoli,  fill  gaps  from 
October  to  January  or  February  that  used  to  be  void.  In  Cabbages  the 
old  Flaws  and  Early  Battersea  are  superseded,  although  the  old 
Nonpareil  and  Early  Fork  are  not  to  be  despised.  Of  Kidney  Beans 
the  Duns  and  Speckled  Duns  -  so  called  by  the  colour  of  the  seeds  — have 
given  way  to  the  Canadian  Wonder,  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  Improved  Negro  and 
others,  and  so  on  through  all  classes  improvement  has  taken  place. 
The  increase  in  the  cultivation  and  consumption  of  Tomatoes  during, 
say,  the  last  thirty  years  is  beyond  conception.  When  I  was  a  lad  the 
American  Red,  a  wrinkled  variety,  used  to  be  cultivate^  by  a  few  persons, 
and  the  fruits  sometimes  used  in  stews,  or  as  an  entree  stuffed  with 
Mushrooms. 
Subsequently  it  was  discovered  they  made  an  excellent  sauce,  and 
later  some  tried  them  in  salads,  until  the  taste  has  gradually  developed 
and  they  are  now  consumed  by  tons  •,  whereas  thirty  years  ago  they 
could  be  reckoned  by  pounds.  Miles  of  glass  is  utilised  throughout  this 
country  for  the  indoor  cultivation  of  this  vegetable,  and  tons  of  fruit  are 
also  grown  out  of  doors  in  favourable  summers,  not  only  by  market 
growers  but  by  the  cottager  and  artizan,  as  well  as  the  villa  gardener,  all 
of  whom  have  acquired  a  taste  for  the  juicy  Tomato. 
Before  I  leave  this  part  of  the  subject,  by  the  kindness  of  Mr.  George 
Monro,  the  eminent  salesman  of  Covent  Garden,  I  am  able  to  give  some 
interesting  particulars  regarding  the  sales  of  home-grown  garden  produce. 
The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  with  which  he  favoured  me,  and  came 
to  hand  after  writing  the  above  portion  of  my  paper  ; — 
Buxton,  Derbyshire,  August  5th,  1897. 
Dear  Sir, — Yours  to  hand.  Being  away  from  London  I  can  only  give  you  a 
few  figures,  which  you  can  use  in  any  way  you  like,  and  I  may  say  that  they 
only  relate  to  my  own  business,  and  do  not  represent  the  total  received  on  the 
markets  during  the  time  mentioned.  Grapes  have  increased  more  than  any 
fruit.  The  total  we  sold  in  four  days  before  Christmas,  1896,  was  over  22  tons 
weight,  and  that  would  be  about  double  the  average  during  the  remainder  of 
winter.  Tomatoes  often  run  to  4,  5,  or  6000  baskets  daily,  averaging  12  lbs. 
each.  The  next  great  increase  of  late  years  is  in  Cucumbers,  as  we  often  sell  over 
2000  hampers  daily,  averaging  about  3  dozen  each.  At  one  time  our  market  was 
mainly  supplied  from  Holland,  but  we  have  turned  the  tables  on  the  foreigners  in 
these,  and  I  alone  exported  during  last  winter  and  spring  thousands  of  hampers, 
which  went  to  different  parts  of  the  Continent,  including  Vienna  and  St.  Peters¬ 
burg,  as  ours  being  so  much  superior  to  the  Dutch  leaves  room  for  great 
extension  until  they  learn  to  grow  them  better.  I  also  send  Grapes  regularly 
to  the  Continent,  and  in  the  winter  to  America.  Only  a  tithe  of  what  we 
receive  is  consumed  in  London.  As  quantity  increases  we  have  to  find  outlets, 
and  must  go  further  afield,  as  growers  now  put  up  houses  by  the  hundred. — 
Yours  truly,  (Signed)  Geo.  Munro. 
The  above  particulars,  coming  from  the  fountain  head,  we  must 
acknowledge  are  reliable  and  enlightening,  and  although  this  is  from  one 
who  is  known  as  the  leading  man  in  Covent  Garden  there  are  scores  of 
others  either  directly  on  indirectly  engaged  in  the  same  pursuit,  and  a 
slight  consideration  would  give  one  a  little  idea  of  the  enormous  increase 
in  the  production  and  consumption  of  home-grown  fruits  and  vegetables 
during  the  Victorian  era. — (Paper  read  by  Mr.  0.  Orchard,  BenAridge,  at 
the  Ventnor  Institute,  on  August  '1th.') 
(To  be  concluded.) 
TOMATO  NOTES. 
Fruit  Ripexixu. 
Ix  reply  to  “  W.  R.  Raillem”  (page  176),  I  have  not  made  critical 
comparisons  from  an  epicurean  standpoint  as  to  the  relative  merits  of 
fast-ripening  Tomatoes  cut  and  finished  on  a  warm  sunny  shelf,  and  those 
absolutely  ripe  gathered  from  the  plants.  If  I  did  do  so  in  the  months 
of  .July  and  August,  the  difference  I  imagine  would  be  very  slight,  but 
probably  in  favour  of  the  fruits  freshly  gathered.  Later  on  in  the  season, 
or  say  after  the  middle  of  September,  I  would  not  expect  the  flavour  of 
artificially  ripened  Tomatoes  to  reach  the  quality  of  those  taken  direct 
from  the  plants. 
I  readily  admit  that  to  ascertain  the  true  and  perfect  flavour  in 
Tomatoes  they  should  be  gathered  and  eaten  direct  from  the  plants. 
This  is  an  indisputable  fact,  which  I  do  not  wish  to  deny,  because  I  can 
assure  “  W.  R.  Raillem”  that  is  the  method  I  should  adopt  myself  if  I 
were  to  consume  Tomatoes  largely  in  a  raw  state.  The  eating  of  freshly 
gathered  fruit  is  the  best  way  of  acquiring  a  taste  for  Tomatoes.  ^ 
“  W.  R.  Raillem  ”  will  see,  therefore,  that  I  do  not  dispute  the  fact  he 
lays  importance  upon,  but  I  think  for  ordinary  purposes  Tomatoes  can  be 
finished  off  the  plants,  thus  relieving  the  latter  of  the  burden,  and  still  be 
of  good  flavour  to  be  useful,  especially  for  culinary  purposes.’  I  think  the 
majority  of  private  growers,  leaving  out  those  who  grow  for  sale,  would 
endorse  my  statement  if  it  were  qualified  by  limiting  it  to  the  months  of 
July  and  August. 
My  chief  reason  for  recommending  gathering  prior  to  full  ripeness  was 
utility  -  relief  to  the  plants,  which  could  extend  and  set  more  fruit,  as  well 
as  the  prevention  of  the  fruit  cracking  which  was  already  ripening.  The 
latter  evil  may  be  largely  averted  on  the  plants  that  have  completed  their 
growth  and  no  more  fruit  is  required  to  set.  A  drier  condition  of  the  soil 
will  then  be  favourable  to  ripening  of  the  fruit,  and  a  check  to  the  tendenev 
shown  for  cracking.  " 
There  is  a  considerable  difference  in  the  flavour  of  even  ripe  Tomatoes 
direct  from  the  plants.  In  my  opinion  large  fruits  are  not  so  perfect  in 
flavour  as  smaller  examples.  The  most  delicious,  I  think  are  the  Plum¬ 
shaped  and  small  round  varieties,  either  red  or  yellow,  for  eating  direct 
from  the  plants. 
Tomato  Root.?. 
“S.  S.,”on  page  176,  submits  the  question,  “What  are  the  proper 
means  of  inducing  a  constant  multiplication  of  healthy  rootlets  in  the 
early  and  other  stages  of  growth  ?  ” 
In  the  first  place  Tomatoes  raised  from  seed  require  to  germinate  in 
light,  sweet,  and  sandy  soil.  The  seed  ought  not  to  be  sown  too  thickly. 
If  the  seedlings  when  they  appear  have  not  less  than  an  inch  of  space 
they  will  not  suffer  from  overcrowding  before  ready  for  moving.  Plenty 
of  light  and  a  free  circulation  of  air  is  absolutely  essential  to  maintain  a 
sturdy  character,  thus  laying  a  firm  foundation  for  free  rooting  after¬ 
wards.  Immediately  the  seedlings  are  sufficiently  strong  and  advanced  in 
size  transplanting  into  small  pots  is  necessary,  using  a  good  but  light  and 
sandy  compost. 
At  this  point  commences  the  first  stage  in  the  increase  of  roots  and 
rootlets.  Each  seedling  plant  is  sunk  so  low  in  the  pot  as  to  bury  the 
whole  length  of  stem,  leaving  only  the  leaves  resting  on  the  surface  soil. 
The  advantage  of  having  the  little  seedlings  strong  by  exposure  to  light  is 
apparent  now,  because  when  developed  under  the  above  mentioned 
favourable  conditions  the  whole  length  of  stem  is  ready  to  emit  roots 
when  buried  in  the  soil.  This  is  of  great  advantage  in  promoting  growth 
that  will  be  highly  satisfactory.  If  the  next  shift  into  larger  pots  is 
carried  out  on  a  similar  principle,  burying  as  much  of  the  stem  as 
possible,  a  further  increase  of  roots  takes  place.  The  plants  must,  how¬ 
ever,  continue  to  reiieive  abundance  of  light  and  air  so  as  to  modify  the 
growth  and  prevent  elongation,  which  would  weaken  them  considerably. 
In  the  final  potting  or  planting  out  the  same  principle  of  burying  a 
portion  of  stem  is  continued.  After  this,  however,  the  plants  cannot  be 
moved  further,  so  in  due  time  when  it  is  necessary  to  increase  the  rooting 
power,  which  will  be  required  when  the  first  bunches  of  fruit  have  set 
and  are  swelling,  top-dressings  of  rich  soil  are  placed  on  the  surface,  a 
couple  of  inches  depth  at  a  time  sufficing.  This  necessarily  surrounds 
more  of  the  stem  with  soil,  and  fresh  roots  therefrom  are  encouraged. 
The  older  roots  ramifying  in  the  soil  below  are  induced  to  emit  rootlets 
into  the  freshly  added  material.  By  continuing  these  additions  as  the 
rootlets  come  to  and  whiten  the  surface  considerable  impetus  is  given  to 
the  setting  and  swelling  of  fruit  as  well  as  the  general  vigour  of  the 
plants. 
All  this  attention  and  encouragement  to  the  roots  will,  I  may  repeat, 
be  useless  without  the  essential,  modifying,  and  consolidating  influence  of 
light.  The  full  day’s  sunshine  is  best,  but  if  this  cannot  be  commanded 
for  the  whole  day  allow  all  the  sunshine  possible  to  reach  them,  and  for 
the  rest  unobstructed  light.  Due  amount  of  moisture  is  an  important 
factor  of  success,  and  equally  necessary  with  the  other  essential  con¬ 
ditions.  The  rule  to  follow  in  applying  it  is  to  afford  sufficient  to  moisten 
the  whole  bulk  of  soil  and  roots  whenever  required,  then  to  wait  until 
more  is  required.  Much  depends  on  the  correct  application  of  water  in 
encouraging  the  multiplication  of  roots  and  rootlets. 
Plants  treated  as  indicated  become  a  perfect  networks  of  roots, 
which  must  have  more  support  than  clear  water  and  top-dressings  can 
fully  supply,  especially  when  the  treatment  has  been  successful  and  good 
results  have  followed.  Recourse  must  then  be  had  to  small  dressings  of 
artificial  fertilisers,  and  applications  of  liquid  manure  and  soot  water,  as 
the  readiest  available  stimulants  and  feeders. 
During  the  whole  course  of  cultivation,  firm  potting  in  pot  culture. 
