November  25.  1897. 
JOURN^AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
513 
is  mentioned,  bringing  the  number  up  to  six.  In  1842  a  list  was 
published  which  still  contained  only  the  six  varieties,  so  that  for  twenty- 
five  years  there  was  no  addition  to  the  number.  In  1860  nine 
varieties  ai’e  recorded  in  the  leading  catalogues.  In  1865  what  are 
known  as  the  Invincible  strains  began.  First  the  scarlet,  then  purples, 
white,  striped,  and  perhaps  the  most  beautiful  of  all,  the  Carmine 
Invincible.  These  were  undoubted  improvements  on  the  old  varieties, 
and  are  still  grown.  Fairy  Queen,  probably  a  sport  from  Painted  Lady, 
now  became  known,  and  was  soon  followed  by  Crown  Princess,  Adonis, 
Butterfly,  Princess  Beatrice,  Violet  Queen,  Princess  of  Wales,  and  a  fcAV 
others. 
About  the  year  1877  the  great  improvement  in  Sweet  Peas  began. 
Mr.  Henry  Eckford,  at  that  time  gardener  to  Dr.  Sankey  of  Boreatton 
Park,  in  Shropshire,  and  who  has  since  established  a  business  at  Wem,  has 
done  more  than  any  other  man  to  popularise  this  beautiful  flower,  by 
bringing  out  a  great  number  of  charming  varieties  much  improved  in 
form,  size,  and  constitution,  and  of  almost  every  shade  of  colour,  so  that 
Eckford’s  name  has  become  a  household  word  in  connection  with  Sweet 
Peas. 
There  must  be  many  persons  who  have  visited  IMessrs.  Sutton  &  Son.s’ 
seed  trial  grounds,  and  seen  ,  their  immense  collection  of  Sweet  Peas, 
brought  together  from  all  sources,  not  only  those  of  British  origin,  but 
from  continental  and  American  raisers,  and  numbering  in  1896,  I  believe, 
not  far  short  of  150  varieties.  To  me,  as  I  am  sure  it  must  have  been  to 
many  others,  it  was  intensely  interesting. 
The  question  as  to  what  constitutes  a  properly  formed  Sweet  Pea,  or, 
in  other  words,  should  we  have  a  perfect  ideal  flower  to  work  up  to?  has 
been  the  subject  of  some  controversy.  This  really  means,  should  the 
Sweet  Pea  rank  as  a  florists’  flower?  The  matter  has  been  already 
brought  ])efore  the  Committee  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  and  I 
think  this  body  very  wisely  decided  not  to  include  it  as  a  florists’  flower. 
Some  may  consider  this  a  slight  on  so  beautiful  and  popular  a  plant,  but 
I  do  not  think  so.  To  surround  it  by  hard  and  fast  rules  would  mean 
intercrossing  only  with  those  varieties  most  likely  to  approach  a  given 
standard  of  perfection,  to  a  great  extent  irrespective  of  constitution  and 
natural  beauty.  We  have  plenty  of  evidence  in  the  florists’  Auriculas, 
Polyanthus,  laced  Pinks,  florists’  Carnations  and  Hollyhocks,  how  the 
constitutions  have  become  enfeebled. 
It  has,  fortunately,  in  all  the  plants  I  have  mentioned  given  rise  to 
what  may  be  called  side  issues.  To  quote  the  case  of  the  old  and  debili¬ 
tated  laced  Polyanthus.  The  public  enjoys  much  more  the  healthy 
strains  of  the  beautiful  border  varieties,  and  does  not  discard  a  good 
kind  because  it  happens  to  have  a  pin-eyed  instead  of  a  regulation  thrum¬ 
eyed  flower.  We  have  also  our  garden  or  border  varieties  of  Pinks, 
Carnations,  and  Hollyhocks  of  good  strains.  The  true  florists’  Dahlia  is 
cared  for  only  by  the  very  few,  the  Cactus  and  decorative  varieties  ai’e  the 
favourites.  A  really  good  and  popular  flower  cannot  remain  long  fettered 
at  the  present  day.  These  side  issues,  as  I  have  termed  them,  are 
sure  to  break  away,  although  they  may  be,  and  are,  considered  rebellious 
by  the  strict  old  florist.  Raisers  and  lovers  of  beautiful  flowers  can, 
I  think,  be  trusted  not  to  encourage  or  develop  anything  likely  to  bring 
discredit,  at  any  rate  on  the  Sweet  Pea. — (Paper  read  by  Mr.  G.  Staxton, 
Park  Place,  Henley,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Reading  Gardeners'  Association.') 
CTo  be  continued.) 
BRIEF  NOTES  ON  ALPINE  FLOWERS. 
(Continued  from  page  488.) 
The  Season  and  its  Needs. 
The  mild  weather  which  has  prevailed  for  some  time  is  not  very 
favourable  for  many  flowers  in  the  rock  garden.  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
they  will  suffer  when  frost  comes,  unless  it  be  accompanied  by  their 
natural  covering  of  snow.  It  will  be  prudent,  therefore,  to  be  prepared 
with  some  protecting  material  for  use  in  the  event  of  severe  frost.  This 
is  not  required  by  many  alpines,  but  with  a  considerable  number  it  is  a 
profitable  precaution.  Some  very  early  flowering  plants,  such  as  Saxi- 
fraga  apiculata  or  S.  Burseriana,  may  either  have  a  glass  cover  put 
over,  but  well  above,  them,  or  a  little  loose  material  placed  lightly  over 
when  severe  frost  is  apprehended. 
I  prefer,  for  many  things,  some  of  the  more  woody  stalks  of  herbaceous 
plants,  nothing  being  better  than  those  of  the  Asters  They  should  be 
placed  very  thinly,  so  as  to  break  the  intensity  of  the  frost  without 
intercepting  air.  Some  very  early  plants  are  worthy  of  this  care,  so 
interesting  are  they  in  the  beginning  of  the  year.  This  covering  should 
be  removed  in  all  favourable  weather.  Care  ought  also  to  be  taken 
that  alpines  with  silky  or  downy  foliage  are  carefully  protected  from 
heavy  rains.  Anything  to  throw  off  rain,  and  at  the  same  time 
raised  so  much  above  the  plants  as  to  allow  the  free  play  of  air,  will 
do.  Squares  of  glass,  slates,  boards,  or  similar  things,  may  be  used. 
These  are  not  always  ornamental.  Neither  are  umbrellas  nor  water¬ 
proofs  to  the  human  race,  but  they  serve  a  useful  purpose,  and  are 
therefore  tolerated. 
In  the  use  of  these  protectors  for  the  plants  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
the  drip  may  be  injurious  to  neighbouring  flowers,  and  the  shelters  must 
be  placed  in  such  a  way  that  the  drops  will  not  damage  the  other  plants. 
For  instance,  it  will  not  do  to  have  the  drip  falling  into  the  centre  of  a 
choice  Saxifrage  or  Primula  ;  nor  will  it  do  to  direct  it  into  the  pocket 
occupied  by  an  alpine  which  likes  a  dry  soil  ’in  winter.  It  will  be  seen 
that  even  in  what  appears  a  thing  so  simple  there  is  room  for  the  e.xercise 
of  some  thought  and  experience. 
Drainage. 
Another  seasonable  remark  to  make  is  that  the  advantages  of  properly 
constructed  rockwork  providing  ample  drainage  will  now  be  ajiparent. 
Some  make  rockeries  with  “  pockets  ”  for  the  plants,  which  are  literally 
cups  filled  with  soil,  and  without  any  means  for  the  escape  of  surplus 
water  save  by  means  of  the  natural  overflow  when  the  earth  is  saturated 
to  its  utmost  capacity.  Such  a  state  of  matters — which,  remember,  will 
last  for  days  and  sometimes  weeks  in  winter  — is  fatal  to  many  plants, 
and  unlike  the  natural  conditions  in  which  so  many  of  them  grow  in  their 
native  habitats.  This  is,  perhaps,  enough  to  say  on  this  point,  with  the 
exception  of  a  remark  that  the  necessity  of  good  drainage  is  as  great  for 
alpine  as  for  border  flowers. 
Treatment  of  Small  Plants. 
This  is  not  a  good  season  at  which  to  procure  new  plants,  but  it  is,  at 
times,  necessary  or  convenient  to  have  them  secured  in  the  middle  of 
winter.  Large  plants  which  have  had  full  exposure  to  the  weather 
and  have  been  grown  in  pots  may,  however,  be  planted  out  with  safety  if 
they  have  balls  of  earth  attached.  Even  these  require  some  attention,  as 
in  the  event  of  frost  a  crevice  or  cavity  may  appear  between  the  old  ball 
and  the  adjacent  soil.  It  is  by  far  the  better  plan  to  allow  the 
plants  to  remain  in  the  pots,  or,  if  not  in  these  receptacles,  to  place 
them  in  clean,  well-drained  pots  with  suitable  soil.  They  may  then  be 
plunged  in  some  light  material  under  glass  and  kept  until  spring  comes 
round.  Frames  are  generally  used  for  the  protection  of  alpines  in  pots, 
but  unless  great  care  is  taken  there  is  likely  to  be  a  large  percentage 
of  loss. 
Damp  is  the  cause  of  much  of  this,  and  to  avoid  this  evil  nothing- 
equals  (it  may  almost  be  said  nothing  avails  but)  a  free  circulation  of  air. 
In  bad  weather  the  frames  are  liable  to  neglect,  especially  if  the  alpine 
grower  is  an  amateur,  not  unduly  enthusiastic,  or  a  gardener  overwhelmed 
with  work,  as  too  many  are,  at  all  seasons.  Nothing  can  be  so  convenient 
as  a  low  alpine  house  constructed  with  both  roof  and  side  ventilation,  and 
with  a  small  modicum  of  artificial  heat  for  use  in  unusually  severe  weather. 
In  such  a  house  young  plants  will  make  rapid  progress.  The  pots  are 
often  plunged  in  ashes,  but  my  experience  is  that  these  are  sometimes 
unsatisfactory,  and  occasionally  lead  to  the  loss  of  valuable  plants.  Fine 
gravel,  rough  sand,  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  will  all  be  found  preferable 
when  they  can  be  oldained. 
Failing  a  properly  made  alpine  house,  a  cool  greenhouse  where 
very  little  arti^cial  heat  is  employed  should  be  preferred  to  a  frame.  In 
either  an  alpine  house  or  a  greenhouse  the  flowers  are  readily  accessible, 
and  they  afford  many  opportunities  of  enjoying  the  beauties  of  the  alpine 
flora  at  an  earlier  season  than  in  the  open  garden.  The  plants  should 
not  be  stimulated  by  much  heat,  or  they  will  be  weakened  and  made 
more  susceptible  to  harm  from  spring  frosts  after  they  are  placed  in  the 
rock  garden  in  their  permanent  positions. 
These  hints  of  the  season  are,  as  it  were,  rudimentary,  and  past 
masters  in  the  craft  may  think  them  unnecessary.  They  are  not  so,  how¬ 
ever,  as  one  finds  that  it  is  often  these  matters  which  if  neglected  check  and, 
too  frequently,  stop  finally  the  aspirations  of  the  tyro  in  growing  the 
flowers  which  form  the  subject  of  this  series  of  notes.  What  are  truisms 
to  some  are  unknown  to  others,  to  whom  we  desire  to  lend  a  helping 
hand  in  the  pursuit  of  a  branch  of  gardening  calculated  to  give  true  and 
lasting  pleasure. — Alpines. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Culture  op  the  Grape  Vine. 
(Concluded  from  page  466.) 
For  protecting  outside  borders  of  early  vineries  a  thickness  of  straw 
or  Oak  leaves  must  be  placed  on  before  the  temperature  of  the  soil  falls 
too  low.  This  will  retain  warmth  in  the  borders  and  hasten  root  action. 
It  is  also  good  practice  to  put  some  hard  protecting  material  over  the 
covering  to  throw  off  heavy  cold  rains.  As  the  weather  becomes  warmer 
the  greater  portion  of  this  protecting  material  must  be  removed  to  let  the 
sun  get  at  the  borders.  During  dry  hot  seasons  the  outside  borders  of 
all  vineries  ought  to  receive  a  thorough  watering,  afterwards  placing  a 
thickness  of  manure  on  each  border  to  prevent  evaporation. 
When  the  colouring  of  the  Grapes  commences  rather  more  air  must  be 
admitted  by  day,  and  a  little  left  on  the  house  all  night,  as  it  is  impossible 
to  get  well  coloured  Grapes  from  a  close  atmosphere,  or  if  the  leaves  are 
crowded  or  badly  attacked  by  red  spider.  From  this  period  onwards  so 
much  moisture  must  not  be  allowed,  but  endeavour  ought  to  be  made  to 
keep  a  growing  atmosphere  until  the  Grapes  are  fairly  well  coloured. 
When  ripe,  give  plenty  of  air  day  and  night.  If  the  weather  be  hot  and 
bright  the  Vines  derive  benefit  from  the  paths  being  damped  down  at 
mid-day.  Some  Vines  are  more  subject  to  scorching  than  others,  espe¬ 
cially  Aluscats.  Early  and  careful  ventilation,  combined  with  watchful¬ 
ness,  are  the  remedies.  If  the  leaves  are  observed  scorching  badly,  a 
slight  shading  must  be  afforded  in  bright  weather,  just  sufficient  to  break 
the  strong  rays  of  the  sun.  Scalding  is  the  one  great  failing  of  Lady 
Downe’s.  It  takes  place  when  the  berries  are  stoning  until  colouring 
commences.  As  a  preventive  air  must  be  left  on  the  house  all  night,  and 
if  the  mornings  be  bright  the  supply  must  be  increased  early,  to  allow  the 
condensed  moisture  to  evaporate  and  escape  before  the  sun  gains  much 
power.  Scalding  will  easily  be  perceived  by  the  under  side  of  the  berry, 
or  in  some  cases  the  berry  altogether  turning  black.  At  this  season, 
with  this  Grape,  one  needs  to  be  especially  careful,  as  in  the  case  of 
negligence  great  harm  may  be  done.  Houses  are  now  constructed  with 
