14 
JOUllNAL  OF  HOnriOULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  QABOENER. 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
“IIehk  awa’,  There  awa’.” 
Bosicles  their  long-established  nursery  at  Rothesay,  on  the 
beautiful  Isle  of  Bute,  the  Messrs.  Dobhie  and  Co.  have  had 
seed  grounds  at  Orpington,  in  Kent,  for  fully  seven  years  past. 
Anyone  running  down  to  Tunbridge  Wells  on  the  S.E.  and  C. 
Radway  may  sec  this  nursery,  with  its  area  of  sixty  acres.  The 
land  is  rich  and  fertile  from  the  careful  cultivation  it  has  lately 
received,  though  the  depth  of  brownish-red  surface  strata  is  only 
about  18in  in  some  parts  :  below  this  lies  the  chalk  formation. 
I  had  the  privilege  of  a  vi.sit  to  Orpington  early  in  October, 
1901,  just  at  a  time  when  the  weather  was  dry  and  agreeable,  and 
the  season’s  seed  harvest  was  being  gleaned.  Mr.  A.  Ireland 
has  had  control  of  these  seed  grounds  during  the  Dobbies’ 
occupancy.  He  is  a  conscientious  foreman,  a  great  man  for 
work,  and  most  agreeable  and  pleasant  as  a  companion.  I  am 
sure  the  visitor  to  the  grounds  will  always  be  satisfied  under 
his  chaperonage. 
Seed-harvesting. 
When  the  crops  of  vegetable  and  flower  seeds  are  ripe  they 
are  at  once  harvested,  and  in  the  case  of  Onions,  Parsley,  Par¬ 
snips,  and  Carrots ;  or  Marigolds,  Zinnias,  Tropeeolums  (Nastur- 
tium.s),  and  other  genera,  the  trusses  are  spread  out  on  mats  in 
glass  houses.  Here  they  remain  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period  till 
they  are  thoroughlj'^  ready  to  be  shaken  out  from  their  variously 
constituted  seed  vessels.  Particular  care  is  exercised  to  keep 
all  kinds  strictly  by  themselves,  so  that  no  mixing  may  occur. 
The  third  step  is  that  of  cleaning  and  assorting  the  seeds  by 
means  of  a  cleaning  machine,  in  this  case  worked  by  turning  a 
handle,  which  process  instigates  to  action  several  fanners  situated 
within.  The  roughly  cleaned  seeds  are  filled  into  a  funnel,  just 
as  coffee  beans  are  into  a  grinding  machine,  and  the  fanners  blow 
off  the  “chaff”  and  coverings  from  amongst’ the  seeds.  By  a 
patent  process  the  seeds  are  assorted  according  to  their  sizes. 
The  cleaning  operation  may  have  to  be  again  performed,  till 
finally  the  qualities  are  properly  graduated  and  perfectly  free 
and  clean.  Tlien  they  are  placed  in  bulk,  in  sacks,  and  sent  to 
Rothesay,  from  whence  the  orders  are  executed. 
The  harvesting  of  the  seeds  is  but  the  final  act  in  a  series  that 
all  have  for  the  aim — Perfection — perfection  of  the  final  product. 
Only  the  fine.st  and  fittest  plants  are  chosen  from  the  seed  pans, 
only  the  sturdiest  are  planted  out,  and  only  the  best  developed 
and  stronge.st  are  left  to  mature  seeds.  During  the  flowering 
season  the  plantations  are  subjected  to  a  rigorous  weeding  out — 
“  rogueing,”  as  we  term  it — so  that  there  can  be  no  mistake  as 
to  what  quality  of  stock  will  perpetuate  the  special  variety. 
Zinnias,  as  1  have  already  stateu.  are  cultivated  with  gr-eat 
exactness,  for  the  firm  has  a  fame  for  these,  as  w’ell  as  Verbenas, 
Asters,  Sweet  Peas,  Long-spurred  Aquilegias,  Camiianulas, 
Pentstemons,  Marigolds,  annual  Larkspurs,  Celosias,  and 
Antirrhinums,  among.st  flow^ers.  The  pale-coloured  Pentstemons 
are  much  the  more  popular  amongst  growers  at  the  present  time  ; 
the  shades  of  pink,  rose,  rose-mauve,  heliotrope,  and  lavender 
a'^e,  therefore,  receiving  considerable  attention.  The  three  dis¬ 
tinct  colours  in  Antirrhinums  represented  in  the  varieties  named 
Crimson  King,  White  Queen,  and  Yellow  Queen,  will  suit  every-' 
body’s  taste  and  purpose,  and  the  habit  and  other  characteristics 
of  the  plants  themselves  embody  the  acme  of  perfection.  The 
striped  variet’es  were  also  well  represented.  That  Tropseolum 
(or  Nasturtiums,  as  they  are  incorrectly  named)  called  Dobbie’s 
Crimson  is  a  marvel  of  brilliance ;  but  what  are  finer  for  a  pure 
blaze  of  colour  than  a  selection  of  these  dwarf  Tom  Thumb 
Tropieolums  when  grown  in  wide-sirreading  beds?  The  Messrs. 
Dobbie  have  also  a  spotless  white  annual  Delphinium,  a  sport 
from  “  Blue  Butterfly.”  Those  who  grow’  or  know  the  latter 
beautiful  border  subject  will  be  able  to  form  an  idea  of  the  value 
of  this  latest  addition.  For  a  year  or  two,  however,  very  little 
will  likely  be  heard  of  the  w’hite,  for  there  is  but  one  plant  in 
existence. 
Pumpkins,  and  Squashes. 
The  Gourds  are  likely  to  come  into  vei’y  great  prominence 
within  the  next  few  years.  Various  Anns  are  making  them  a 
special  feature  of  their  nurseries,  and  in  their  catalogues.  I  have 
written  of  them  elsewhere,  and  will  only  state  in  tliis  place 
that  Messrs.  Dobbie  grow  forty-two  distinct  kinds. 
Perhaps  vegetable  crops  receive  even  more  jealous  study 
and  petting,  to  induce  their  greatest  excellence,  than  do  the 
flowers.  The  Carrots,  Parsnips,  Beets,  Cabbage,  and  Kales  are 
lifted  early  in  the  month  of  October  from  their  summer  quarters, 
and  individually  subjected  to  ocular  inspection.  Just  think  of 
t’  e  time,  and  the  labour,  and  the  cost  of  doing  this  wdiere 
1  lousands  and  thousands  of  each  vegetable  are  growm !  The 
Beets  are  so  far  tested  as  to  i-eceive  each  a  notch  so  that  the 
depth  of  the  colour  of  their  “  flesh,”  may  be  seen :  all  of  those 
that  are  pale-coloured  are  discarded.  The  good  form  and  free¬ 
dom  from  “  forking  ”  are  the  needful  (jualities  required  by  Carrots 
ere  they  are  again  replanted.  These  vegetables  seed,  where  they 
are  planted  after  this  October  examination.  The  Brassicas  (Kale, 
January  2,  1902. 
Cabbage,  Cauliflowers),  though  grown  side  by  side  up  to  this 
period,  ai'e  now  removed  as  far  away  from  each  other  as  possible. 
If  the  variety  of  Kale  or  Cabbage  is  planted,  say,  in  the  western 
limit  of  the  grounds,  another  variety  would  be  taken  away  over 
to  the  south-eastern  corner,  and  so  on — anywhere  out  of  each 
other’s  reach,  to  avoid,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  interfertilisation 
by  bees  of  the  distinct  varieties.  I  may  mention  that  an  assort¬ 
ment  of  Coloured  Kales  are  grown.  In  bedding,  or  colour 
arrangements  in  borders,  I,  for  one,  should  like  to  see  the 
Coloured  Kales,  such  as  Miss  Hope,  of  Wardie,  used  to  have, 
much  more  liberally  grown  in  gardens. 
Golden  Globe  and  Dobbie’s  Ailsa  Craig  Onions  are  specially 
treated  at  Orpington.  During  the  season  these,  too,  are  watched. 
The  largest  and  finest  bulbs  are  eventually  lifted  and  planted  by 
themselves,  and  these  yield  No.  1  quality  (xx) ;  lesser,  but  still 
superior  bulbs  furnish  No.  2  (x) ;  the  rest  are  the  ordinary  seed 
stock.  These  selections  are  necessary  on  the  part  of  a  firm  that 
supplies  special  exhibition  strains  of  vegetable  and  flower  seeds. 
— ^Wandering  Willie. 
- - 
Obitaary. 
Mr.  John  Crosfield,  J.P. 
Readers  of  the  Journal  w’ho  have  ever  visited  the  beautifully 
kept  gardens  at  Walton  Lea,  Warrington,  will  deeply  regret  (as 
I  sincerely  do)  the  death  of  Mr.  John  Crosfield,  J.P.,  the  inore 
than  esteemed  owner  of  this  beautiful  mansion,  and  whose 
gardens,  so  practically  cultivated  hy  Mr.  W.  Kipps,  have  been 
the  admiration  of  all  flower  lovers.  The  late  Mr.  Crosfield  will 
ever  be  remembered  by  Warringtonians  as  one  who  studied  art 
and  nature  in  its  truest  sense,  the  former  by  his  liberal  support 
to  the  art  circles  of  the  town,  and  the  latter  by  his  unbounded 
sympathy  with  the  working  class,  who,  equally  with  himself 
enjoyed  the  lovely  displays  of  Camellias  and  Chrysanthemums, 
which  Mr.  Kipps  had'always  up  to  the  highest  point  of  perfection. 
The  road  to  Warrington  on  show  days  was  always  a  remembrance. 
May  the  same  kindly  nature  receive  his  just  reward,  and  be  to 
ithers  an  incentive  to  do  likewise. — R.  P.  R. 
Mr.  George  St.  Pierre  Harris. 
Tliis  well-known  cultivator  and  raiser  of  Show  and  Fancy 
Dahlias  died  at  his  residence.  Sends  Hill  House,  Orpington,  on 
the  26th  ult.,  at  the  patriarchal  age  of  94  years.  He  was  always 
present  at  the  exhibitions  of  Dahlias  at  the  Crystal  Palace  and 
the  Royal  Aquarium,  and  was  invariably  seen  at  the  meetings  of 
the  R.H.S.  at  the  Drill  Hall  in  the  Dahlia  season.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  several  of  the  leading  special  Floricultural  Societies. 
During  the  past  season  he  exhibited  several  promising  seedling 
Show  and  Fancy  Dahlias  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  Royal  Aquarium, 
and  Drill  Hall,  and  one,  a  charming  Fancy  variety,  named 
Mariner,  received  a  Certificate  of  Merit  at  the  CrysfAl  Palace, 
and  was  also  awarded  the  Special  Prize  offered  by  Mr.  Richard 
Dean  for  the  best  Fancy  Dahlia  of  the  year.  Of  his  seedling  Show 
varieties,  Standard,  deep  chocolate  red,  distinct  in  colour  and  fine 
outline,  obtained  an  Award  of  Merit  from  the  Floral  Committee 
of  the  R.H.S.  Other  promising  varieties  are  Flower  of  Kent, 
Brilliant,  Queen  of  the  Primroses,  and  Sunset.  During  his  life¬ 
time  Mr.  Harris  filled  certain  public  offices,  and  on  retiring  he 
built  himself  a  delightful  mansion  on  the  high  ground  about 
Orpington ;  and  here  he  found  the  chief  occupation  in  his  charm¬ 
ing  garden.  He  was  one  of  the  old  school  of  florists,  of  ■which  but 
very  few  indeed  are  now  left.  Mr.  Harris  passed  away  quite 
peacefully,  after  a  very  short  illness,  leaving  a  widow  to  mourn 
his  loss. — ^R.  D. 
Sir  Henry  Gilbert. 
The  colleague  who  worked  for  such  an  extended  period  along 
with  the  late  Sir  John  Bennett  Lawes  experimentally  in  scientific 
agriculture  and  horticulture,  namely.  Sir  Henrj’’  Gilbert,  has 
now  joined  his  illustrious  predecessor  beyond  this  Vale  of  Tears. 
The  late  Sir  Henry  died  on  Monday,  December  23,  at  Harpenden. 
Sir  Henry  had  control  of  the  Chemical  Laboratory  at  Rotham- 
sted,  and  his  life’s  work  is  to  be  found  in  the  papers  issued  con¬ 
jointly  by  Sir  J.  B.  Lawes  and  himself. 
Sir  Henry  (Dr.  at  that  time)  Gilbert  was  elected  President  of 
the  Chemical  Society  in  1882-3,  but  he  was  made  a  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society  as  far  back  as  1860,  and  in  1867  was  awarded  one 
of  the  Royal  medals  at  the  same  time  as  his  colleague.  He  was  a 
Fellow  of  the  Linnean  and  Meteorological  Societies,  and  for  six 
years  was  Professor  of  Rural  Economy  at  Oxford.  In  1880  he 
was  President  of  the  Chemical  Section  of  the  British  Association, 
which  that  year  met  at  Swansea.  The  jubilee  of  the  Rothamsted 
experiment  was  celebrated  in  1893,  and  a  week  or  two  after  that 
interesting  occasion  Dr.  Gilbert  was  knighted.  At  the  celebra¬ 
tion  a  handsome  silver  salver  was  presented  to  him  in  com¬ 
memoration  of  the  completion  of  fifty  years  of  unremitting  labour 
in  the  cause  of  agricultural  science,  and  in  an  address  presented 
[  by  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  the  following  statement  was 
