m 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  23,  1897. 
/f  is  particularly  desired  that  all  communications,  parcels,  cata¬ 
logues,  and  newspapers  intended  for  the  EDITOR,  be  sent 
direct  to  8,  Rose  Hill  Road,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
Events  of  the  Week. — Though  not  precisely  within  the  next  week 
we  deem  it  advisable  to  give  our  readers  another  reminder  that  the 
Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Show  opens  on  Thursday,  September  30th.  We 
hope  to  see  a  magnificent  display  of  all  kinds  of  British  grown  fruit  that 
are  now  in  season. 
-  A\'’eathee  in  London. — Not  very  much  rain  has  fallen  in  the 
last  seven  days.  There  was  a  light  shower  on  Saturday  evening,  Avhile 
on  Sunday  night  rain  fell  rather  heavily  for  some  time.  Monday  and 
Tuesday  were  bright  and  dull  alternately,  but  rain  did  not  fall  on  either 
day.  AYednesday  again  was  fine. 
-  Liliujis  and  Roses. — I  have  just  read  two  articles  in  the 
current  issue  of  the  Journal  of  Hortimilture.  One  of  them  is  written  by 
“  D.,  Deal,  ’  and  what  he  writes  so  interestingly  should  be  read  by  every 
ardent  cultivator  of  that  loveliest  of  Lilies,  Liliuin  auratum.  The  other 
is  on  the  subject  of  garden  Roses,  by  the  great  Chrysanthemum  specialist, 
Air.  Edwin  Molyneux.  AA^ith  what  he  says  of  Turner’s  Crimson  Rambler 
I  entirely  coincide.  It  is  truly  a  superbly  ornamental  Rose,  and  keeps 
its  brilliant  colour  much  longer  than  any  climber  within  the  range  of  my 
acquaintance.  Bardou  .Job  and  Gustave  Regis  are  also  of  great  value 
for  garden  decoration  ;  but  though  beautiful  in  the  bud  they  are  almost 
single  when  fully  blown.  A  much  finer  Rose  than  either,  and  fuller 
in  the  centre,  is  Aladame  Pernet  Ducher,  a  French  Hybrid  Tea. — 
David  R.  AA’ieliamson. 
-  Aaiorpha  canescens.  This  is.  without  doubt,  the  most 
beautiful  and  distinct  of  the  hardy  Amorphas.  It  is  a  native  of  the  United 
States,  and  is  found  growing  on  the  ])rairies  of  Alichigan  and  AA'isconsin, 
and  is  there  knotvn  as  the  “Lead  Plant.”  It  grows  to  a  height  of  from 
2^  tu  3  feet.  The  branches  are  sub-shrubby,  and  in  England  die  to  the 
ground  during  winter.  The  leaves  are  pinnate,  and  composed  of  twenty 
or  more  ])airs  of  ovate  leaflets,  which  are  covered  with  an  abundance  of 
white  silky  down.  The  flowers  are  produced  in  terminal  panicles,  the 
branches  of  which  range  from  3  to  6  inches  in  length.  The  individual 
flowers  are  small  and  bright  ])ur|)le,  with  yellow  stamens.  They  are 
densely  packed  on  the  peduncles  in  a  cylindrical  manner.  The  jiurple 
corolla  and  yellow  stamens,  together  with  the  white  leaves,  produce  a 
most  charming  eftect.  The  flowers  are  at  their  best  during  August.  It 
is  best  propagated  from  seeds  sown  in  a  little  heat  in  spring.  The  young 
])lants  should  be  kept  in  pots  until  they  are  twelve  months  old  ;  they 
should  then  be  planted  in  sandy  loam.  When  about  three  years  old  they 
begin  to  flower  well.— D.  K. 
Death  of  AIr.  James  Cocker. — The  news  *will  be  received 
with  general  regret  of  the  death,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four,  which  took 
place  on  the  l-5th  inst.  at  Sunnypark,  Aberdeen,  of  Air.  .Tames  Cocker, 
senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  .Tames  Cocker  k.  Sons,  nurserymen,  seeds¬ 
men,  and  florists,  Aberdeen.  He  bad  been  ailing  for  the  past  two  years, 
and  latterly  had  been  unable  to  attend  to  business.  Deceased  was  born 
at  Corse,  parish  of  Forgue,  in  1832.  He  entered  the  business  of  his 
father  who  was  founder  of  the  firm  — at  the  nurseiy  at  Sunny])ark,  and 
afterwards  went  as  a  journeyman  to  Cloncaird  Castle,  Ayrshire.  He 
also  spent  several  years  in  London  studying  the  various  branches  of  the 
nursery  business.  He  went  into  jiartnership  with  his  father  and  brother 
about  twenty-six  years  ago,  a  partnership  which  continued  until  the 
death  of  his  father  sixteen  years  ago.  He  then  started  business  on  his 
own  account,  taking  his  three  sons— James,  William,  and  Alexander - 
into  partnership  with  him.  His  eldest  son  James  predeceased  him  three 
years  ago,  but  AA’’illiam  and  Alexander  are  still  actively  engaged  in  the 
business.  Air.  Cocker  was  a  very  enthusiastic  and  successful  cultivator 
of  Dahlias,  Pansies,  Pinks,  and  Carnations,  while  latterly  herbaceous 
plants  and  Roses  for  which  his  firm  was  known  over  the  kingdom — 
claimed  his  chief  attention.  He  had  also  great  success  as  a  hybridist, 
having  raised  many  Roses,  Pansies,  A^iolas,  I’entstemons,  and  Phloxes, 
-  A  AA^ARning.  -  Several  allotment  holders  at  Kent  House,  Beck¬ 
enham,  have  this  season  lost  portions  of  their  produce,  and  the  police 
have  failed  to  make  any  arrest.  One  allottee  evidently  intends  taking  the 
law  in  his  own  hands.  He  has  put  up  a  board  with  the  following  notice  : 
“  The  Lord  helps  those  who  help  themselves  ;  but  the  Lord  help  that 
man  I  catch  helping  himself  to  my  Alarrows.’ 
-  Apple  Kerry  Pippin. ^ — “  D.”  in  his  note  on  page  263  is  in 
error  in  stating  this  variety  had  not  been  previously  shown  in  the  flavour 
competition.  Last  year  it  came  before  the  judges  on  two  occasions,  but 
failed  to  get  an  award.  It  seems  scarcely  credible  that  gardeners  can  be 
so  ignorant  respecting  the  A^eitch  com])etition.  I  see  the  prizes  were 
won  last  year  (from  .luly  to  December)  by  sixteen  different  exhibitors 
from  diverse  parts  of  the  country,  so  that  the  competition  is  not  so  much 
restricted.  —  A  Country"  Gardener. 
-  The  Flax  Industry'.— It  is  said  that  an  effort  is  being  made 
to  revive  the  Flax  industry  in  the  eastern  counties,  particularly  in  Lincoln¬ 
shire.  At  present  the  counties  in  which  Flax  is  chiefly  grown  are  A^oi’k- 
shire,  Essex,  Suffolk,  and  Somerset.  Alore  is  cultivated  in  the  Flast  and 
AA'est  Ridings  of  AMrlcshire  than  anywhere  else.  In  Great  Britain  last 
year  only  1800  acres  were  under  cultivation,  but  in  Ireland  the  acreage 
where  Fda<  was  grown  was  73,301,  though  that  vvas  25,000  acres  less  than 
the  previous  year. 
-  Buttons’  FIpicure  Bean.  —  Having  grown  this  excellent 
climbing  Bean  for  three  seasons,  I  am  more  than  ever  im])ressed  with 
its  value  on  every  point.  As  a  crojiper  it  is  marvellous,  the  clusters  of 
light  green  beans  banging  in  the  greatest  ]irofusion.  Long  after  the 
ordinary  I'rench  Bean  is  past  its  best  Epicure  is  in  fine  condition,  and  it 
is  a  rarity  to  find  a  stringy  pod.  I  should  imagine  that  a  variety  of 
Butter  Bean  has  been  used  as  one  of  the  parents,  as  when  cooked  they 
are  somewhat  of  a  jialer  colour.  It  is  of  such  usefulness  at  the  jiresent 
time  and  until  frost  cuts  it  down,  that  I  can  with  confidence  recommend 
all  unacquainted  with  this  variety  to  make  a  note  of  it  for  next  season.  ■ 
R.  P.  R.,  Lieerpool. 
-  The  Japanese  Floral  Calendar.— Details  are  given  of  the 
Japanese  floral  calendar  in  the  “Far  East,”  and  as  the  .Japanese  are 
notoriously  fund  of  flowers,  also  of  Alaple  leaves,  a  summary  of  this  may 
be  read  with  interest.  January  is  represented  by  the  Pine,  and  on 
New  A'ear’s  Day  every  house  is  decorated  with  its  branches.  Its 
never-fading  colour  is  considered  as  the  emblem  of  eternal  prosperity 
and  long  life.  F’’ebruary  is  associated  with  Plum  blossoms,  which  stand 
for  virtue  and  purity.  Alarch  is  sacred  to  the  Peach  blossom,  to 
which  young  girls  are  likened.  April  is  the  month  for  Cherry  blossoms, 
the  most  beloved  of  any  flower.  Alay  follows  with  AYistaria,  and  .Tune 
with  the  Iris  and  AA'ater  Lilies.  The  festival  of  the  Iris  is  dedicated  to 
the  boys,  just  as  the  Peach  celebration  is  consecrated  to  young  girls- 
August  and  September  are  identified  with  flowering  species  of  Hibiscus 
and  Azalea.  October  is  the  month  of  the  Chrysanthemum,  the  Ro3al 
^  ower  of  .Tapan,  which  figures  in  the  crest  of  the  Imperial  family. 
There  is  a  national  festival  of  Chrysanthemums,  which  greatly  stimulates 
the  loyalty'  of  the  nation.  November  is  distinguished  by  its  Alaple 
leaves,  while  December  is  associated  with  Camellias,  which  blossom 
out  of  doors  though  often  covered  with  snow. 
—  Eriobotry'A  japonica. — In  favoured  localities  the  Loquat, 
or  .lapanese  Quince,  as  this  plant  is  popularly  called,  makes  a  handsome 
evergreen  bush  or  wall  plant  when  grown  outside,  and  with,  slight 
protection  comes  through  all  but  the  most  severe  winters  unharmed.  It 
is  seldom,  however,  that  flowers  are  ]iroduced  outside  in  Flngland,  prolialdy 
from  the  wood  not  being  sufficiently  ripened,  and  from  the  flowering 
])eriod  being  very  late  in  the  year.  AA’hen  grown  under  glass,  though, 
flowers  and  fruit  are  sometimes  produced.  In  the  AYinter  Garden  at  Kew 
a  bush  12  feet  high  is  now  in  flower.  The  inflorescences  number  from 
forty-five  to  fifty.  The  flowers  are  white,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  or 
more  across,  and  almc)nd  scented.  They  are  produced  thi(;kly'  in  panicles 
from  the  ends  of  the  branches.  The  jianicles  when  young  are  erect  and 
covered  with  a  grey  felty  jiubescence.  As  they  become  older  and  the 
flowers  o])en  the  jiubescence  becomes  brown  and  the  jianicles  slightly' 
jiendent.  The  fruit,  when  rijie,  is  somewhat  ovate,  orange  yellow,  about 
the  size  of  a  walnut,  and  edible.  It  ripens  in  the  early  sjiring.  Although 
much  more  interesting  when  in  flower  or  fruit,  it  is  worth  growing  solely 
for  the  sake  of  its  foliage.  The  leaves  are  aliout  10  inches  in  length  by 
05  inches  in  width,  and  covered,  jiarticularly  on  the  under  surface,  with  a 
gi’ey’  felty  pubescence.  The  Kew  jilant  is  growing  in  a  w’ell  drained  bed 
In  fairly’  heavy  loam. — D.  K. 
