September  16,  1897.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  ‘COTTAGE  GARDENER 
-  Supplement  to  the  Index  Kewensis. — We  are  glad  to 
learn  from  the  “  Kew  Bulletin  ”  that  M.  Th.  Durand  and  Mr.  B.  Daydon 
.Tackson  have  made  arrangements  for  printing  their  ten  years’  supjdement 
to  the  “Index  Kewensis,”  which  will  bring  the  work  down  to  the  end  of 
the  year  1895.  It  is  hoped  it  may  be  issued  during  the  present  year. 
-  Shakpe’s  Waltham  French  Runner  Bean. —  This  may 
be  fairly  described  as  the  most  remarkable  Bean  in  the  Chiswick  trials 
this  year— not  by  the  size  of  the  pods,  but  for  their  wonderful  jwofusion. 
The  seeds  are  small  and  white,  and  the  committee  of  inspection  gave 
the  variety  commendatory  marks  for  cooking  as  a  Haricot.  The  pods 
■could  be  literally  gathered  in  handfuls. 
-  Potatoes  at  Chiswick.— About  eighty  varieties  of  Potatoes 
liave  been  tried  at  Chiswick  this  year.  The  early  varieties  were  examined 
some  time  ago,  the  later  last  week.  From  the  thirty-six  varieties  lifted 
in  the  presence  of  a  committee  ten  were  selected  because  of  their  excel¬ 
lent  yields  of  shapely  tubers,  free  from  disease,  for  cooking.  For  three 
•of  these  three  marks  of  merit  were  unanimously  awarded— namely,  Lid- 
stone's  Cardinal,  white,  round,  fine  crop,  and  excellent  quality  ;  Major 
Curtois  (provisional),  full  crop  of  uniform,  jiebble  shaped,  tapering  tubers 
of  superior  quality,  very  distinct ;  and  Horsford’s  Seedling,  from 
Vermont,  U.S.A.,  very  productive,  pebble  shajied  tubers  of  good  quality. 
Sutton’s  Windsor  Castle,  handsome  tubers,  was  also  cooked,  and  the 
certificate  granted  in  1893  unanimously  confirmed.  Thus  there  is  no 
deterioration  in  this  valuable  Potato. 
- -  Plums  at  Hackwood  Park.  —  When  a  few  days  since 
looking  along  the  walls  at  this  place  I  could  but  think  how  wide  of 
the  mark  it  was  for  anyone  to  write  about  the  decadence  of  wall  fruit 
culture.  Certainly  I  have  seen  no  evidence  of  it  anywhere.  At  Hack- 
wood  Plums  are  not  only  very  extensively  grown  on  walls,  giving  in 
good  seasons  splendid  crops,  but  the  trees  are  admirably  trained.  Better 
they  could  hardly  be,  and  not  on  any  horizontal  system  so  recently 
advocated  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Pearson,  but  on  the  old  fan-shaped  method. 
■September  9th  is  rather  late  to  find  many  good  Plums  out  southwards, 
but  on  an  east  wall,  Archduke,  a  noble  late  puiqde  Plum,  was  in  splendid 
condition,  carrying  a  good  crop.  This  is  one  of  Mr.  Rivers’  finest 
introductions,  without  doubt,  amongst  Plnms,  and  should  be  universally 
grown.  Then  on  a  north  wall  are  six  fine  fan  trees. of  the  much  decried 
Victoria,  and  these  had  all  carried  a  capital  crop.  Two  of  the  trees  had 
been  cleared,  the  other  four  being  netted  up  and  stripped  as  used.  Mr. 
Bowerman  will  have  these  good  up  to  the  end  of  the  month.  The-se  six 
trees  run  from  two  parts  length  of  the  north  wall  to  the  end  or  torner, 
and  there  is  just  beyond  the  corner  on  the  west  wall  yet  a  seventh  tree, 
also  a  good  one.  It  is,  however,  a  curious  fact  that  this  tree,  whilst 
blooming  well  always,  yet  bardly  sets  a  fruit.  It  seems  inconceivable 
that,  treated  exactly  alike,  the  mere  change  of  aspect,  and  a  sheltered 
p<isition,  too,  should  yet  make  so  much  difference.  It  is,  however, 
worthy  of  notice  Mr.  Pearson  deprecated  the  planting  of  so  cPmmon  a 
Plum  as  the  Victoria  on  warm  aspects.  Here  we  see  how  finely  it  does 
on  a  north  one. — A. 
-  Tomato  Varieties. —Those  who.  like  myself,  occasionally,  as 
it  were,  get  behind  the  scenes,  hear  some  funny  things  from  gardeners 
who  get  to  learn  of  each  other’s  doings  as  though  by  a  species  of  free¬ 
masonry.  Now  were  I  disposed  to  be  malicious,  which  by-the-by  I  am 
not,  I  could  name  a  dozen  diversely  named  Tomatoes  in  commerce  that 
are  so  much  alike,  should  I  be  permitted  to  gather  but  one  selected  fruit  of 
-each  stock,  to  mix  the  seed,  and  raise  the  plants,  I  would  defy  all 
•creation  to  tell  me  wherein  any  difference  could  be  found.  A  gardener 
once  found  in  a  stock  of  an  American  variety  one  plant  that  showed 
excellence  over  the  rest.  He  saved  the  seed,  grew  plants,  and  found  he 
'had  got  a  stock  of  an  improved  variety.  He  gave  some  seed  to  a  gardener 
•friend,  and  he  grew  stock.  Presently  under  diverse  names  the  variety 
went  from  both  gardens  into  commerce.  A  third  gardener  got  stock  of 
fit,  and  grew  it  ;  then  that  stock  got  into  commerce  under  a  third  name. 
He  gave  some  seed  to  a  fourth  gardener,  who  also  grew  it,  and  not 
waiting  longer  to  farther  select  it,  sold  his  stock  under  yet  another  name 
ito  a  fourth  firm,  and  in  another  part  of  the  kingdom  the  same  stock 
appeared  under  a  fifth  name  ;  indeed  it  would  not  be  at  all  difficult  to 
find  many  more.  Now  when  we  see  these  stocks,  all  first-class,  I  admit, 
and  so  far  as  I  see  in  regard  to  cropping  and  beauty,  as  well  as  solidity 
of  fruit,  absolutely  unbeatable,  can  it  be  wondered  that  I  view  the 
introduction  of  so-called  new  varieties,  not  distinct,  with  grave  doubt  and 
suspicion  ?  Anyone  who  may  overhaul  the  Chiswick  pot  trials  will  see 
for  themselves  how  marvellously  like  to  others  are  so  many  of  the 
so-called  new  ones  sent  there  to  be  grown.  Practically  everybody  now 
lhas  everywhere  first-class  Tomatoes. -A.  D. 
-  The  Black  Locust. — This  a  common  tree  in  West  Virginia 
where  it  is  found  in  groves  of  considerable  extent,  and  is  of  great  com¬ 
mercial  value  on  land  that  has  been  allowed  to  revert  to  forest  after 
having  been  used  for  agricultural  purposes.  In  the  late  annual  report  of 
the  West  Virginia  Experiment  Station,  Professor  Corbett  says  that  it  is 
considered  of  greater  value  than  any  native  wood  for  use  as  driving 
blocks  in  sinking  points  for  driven  wells.  The  timber  closely  approaches 
in  value  that  of  Red  Cedar  for  posts,  and  this,  together  with  its  rapid 
reproduction,  constitutes  its  greatest  value,  although  it  is  much  sought  for 
by  the  manufacturers  of  hubs  for  carriage  wheels  and  for  other  uses  where 
great  resistance  to  pressure  is  required.  According  to  an  American  con¬ 
temporary,  the  largest  Black  Locust  in  West  Virginia  stands  near  the 
entrance  of  an  abandoned  coal  mine,  not  far  from  Morgantown.  It 
is  a  remarkable  tree,  being  fully  4  feet  in  trunk  diameter,  and  at  least 
too  feet  in  height. 
-  “  He  Could  not  Stop  when  he  had  Finished  !” — What  a 
suggestive  sentence  in  the  leading  article  of  last  week  !  “  It  is  a  very 
common  fault.”  It  is,  indeed  ;  and  a  most  exasperating  one.  Who  has 
not  suffered  under  the  speaker  who  has  said  all  he  has  to  say,  and  still 
goes  droning  on  ?  It  is  the  fault  of  most  long  sermons.  “  Half  is,  how 
often  1  “better  than  the  whole,”  Indeed,  there  is  a  pregnant  (rreek 
proverb  to  this  effect.  Those  who  have  to  reprove  often  evidence  this. 
The  first  few  words  would  have  a  good  effect,  but  they  work  themselves 
up,  and  then  other  people  also,  until  at  last  warning  is  often  given,  and  a 
most  unnecessary  parting  takes  place.  Ne  quid  nimis  is  a  valuable  Latin 
rule.  Don’t  overdo  it !  Was  well — would  be  better  — took  physic  and  died. 
But  the  text  I  have  taken  applies  most  of  all  to  oratory.  The  ten  minute 
rule  is  excellent,  and  still  better  the  five.  Best  of  all  that  advice,  the 
(piintessence  of  common  sense,  to  every  budding  orator  —  “  Have  some¬ 
thing  to  say,  say  it,  and  sit  down.” — A.  C. 
_  Wolverhampton  Gardeners’  Club.  —  A  lecture  on 
“  Orchids  ”  was  given  to  the  members  of  the  Wolverhampton  Gardeners 
Horticultural  Club  on  the  7th  inst.  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Burberry.  He  dealt 
with  his  subject  from  the  stand])oint  of  gardeners  having  restricted  glass 
accommodation,  and  dwelt  chiefly  on  those  kinds  requiring  little  warmth  so 
far  as  the  hot-water  apparatus  is  concerned.  The  culture  of  cool  Orchids 
was  fully  and  extensively  referred  to,  dividing  them  into  two  classes— viz,, 
the  warmer  and  the  cooler,  the  former  differing  from  the  lattei  only 
because  more  sun  heat  should  be  given  during  summer  when  they  are 
growing,  and  fully  describing  the  conditions  which  should  prevail  in 
each  department.  He  enumerated  a  large  number  of  the  most  popular 
and  show'y  species  which  would  grow  and  flourish  under  similar 
conditions.  This  at  once  made  the  frequently  difficult  and  troublesome 
matters  of  culture  and  selections  easy  to  understand.  The  cordial 
manner  in  which  the  vote  of  thanks  was  proclaimed  by  those  present 
sufficed  to  show  how  greatly  Mr.  Burberry’s  remarks  had  been 
appreciated. 
_  TaE  Fruit-elavour  Competitions.— Not  being  at  the  Drill 
Hall  on  the  7th,  I  looked  for  the  .Journal  with  exceeding  interest  on  my 
return  from  the  West  of  England  to  see  your  report  of  the  Apple  and 
I’ear  flavour  competition  on  the  above  date,  and  was  immensely  pleased 
to  find  that  a  recommendation  of  mine  to  Mr.  Mayne  of  Bicton 
Gardens,  Devon,  when  there  on  the  afternoon  of  the  6th,  to  send 
up  a"  good  sample  of  his  Kerry  Pippin,  had  so  satisfactory  a 
result.  When  looking  over  the  fruit  in  company  with  Air.  J- 
Crook  I  at  once  said,  “  Why  not  send  half  a  dozen  up  to  the  Drill 
Hall  for  the  flavour  competition  on  the  next  day  ?”  My  suggestion 
was  at  once  acted  upon,  and  the  fruit  packed  and  sent  off  by  post. 
I  think,  so  far  as  I  remember,  that  was  the  first  lot  of  this  really  delicious 
early  dessert  Apple  that  had  come  before  the  judges.  Let  Irish  readers 
take  notice  that  Irish  Peach  was  placed  first  on  the  24th  of  August,  and 
now  Kerry  Pippin  is  placed  first  on  September  6th.  If  any  miserable 
Saxon  should  now  contemptuously  ask,  “What  good  thing  ever  came  out 
of  Ireland  ?”  the  Celt  can  reply,  “A'es;  two  of  the  best  early  dessert  Apples 
in  cultivation.”  A  very  beautiful  early  Apple,  Aliller’s  Seedling,  shown 
recently  at  Reading  by  Mr.  Turton  of  Alaiden  Erlegh  and  Mr.  Fyfe  of 
Lockinge,  having  lemon  skin  with  pretty  red  stripes  on  it,  has  so  far 
not  yet  found  its  way  to  the  Drill  Hall  competitions.  It  is,  however, 
too  late  this  season.  And  here  I  cannot  help  drawing  attention  to  the 
ignorance  which  prevails  in  the  country  amongst  gardeners  with  respect 
to  this  flavour  competition.  1  have  done  all  I  can  to  make  it  known,  but 
hardly  a  gardener  seems  to  be  aware  of  it.  Some  leaflets  of  the  compe¬ 
tition  seem  to  be  needful,  and  widely  distributed.  At  present  the 
limited  competition  and  practically  the  same  exhibitors  is  making  it 
rather  ridiculous. — D. 
