‘88 
.liX'HiYAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAOE  GARDENER.  January  25,  1902. 
‘Taxing  Dutch  Bulbs/’ 
The  jDaragrapli  under  the  above  heading,  on  page  55  of  your 
issue  for  January  16,  is  hardly  in  agreement  vith  the  facts  of  the 
■case,  unless  an  increase  of  the  tax  is  contemplated.  In  para¬ 
graph  251  of  the  Tariff  Act  of  July  24,  1897,  it  is  enacted  “  That 
bulbs,  bulbous,  roots,  or  conns  -which  are  cultivated  for  their 
flowers  pay  a  duty  of  25  per  cent,  ad  valorem.”  I  have  been  in¬ 
formed  by  many  large  dealers  in  Dutch  bulbs  in  America  that, 
while  the  legitimate  trade  has  not  suffered,  the  wholesale  dump¬ 
ing  of  surplus  stock  in  the  American  auction  rooms  has  been 
practically  stopped,  as  the  wily  Hollander  does  not  care  to  pay 
out  his  25  per  cent,  with  the  possibility  of  not  gettmg  a  sufficient 
return  to  pay  the  freight.  Some  of  us  think  this  system  should 
be  adopted  in  England  and  all  respectable  Dutch  firms  cordially 
.support  the  idea. — S<  B.  Dicks,  F.H.R.S.,  7,  Howard  Road, 
Anerley,  S.E. 
Late  Keeping  Culinary  Apples. 
A  practice  I  am  addicted  to  is  that  of  reviewing  past  volumes 
of  the  Journal,  and  in  my  inspection  of  the  first  half-yearly 
volume  for  1901  attention  was  drawn  to  Mr.  A.  H.  Pearson’s 
notes  (p.  286,  April  4)  on  some  late-keeping  culinary  Apples  men¬ 
tioned  by  me  in  a  previous  issue,  and  which  I  do  not  seem  to 
have  given  reply  to.  I  perused  with  oon.siderable  gratification 
his  apropos  remarks,  as  well  as  the  expression  of  his  opinion  as 
to  the  identity  of  tlie  so-called  John  Apple,  and  evidently  one 
or  the  other  of  us  must  be  labouring  under  a  mistaken  impression 
•of  it.  At  the  same  time  I  fully  recognise  your  correspondent  as 
an  accomplished  authority  on  hardy  fruit  culture  and  nomen¬ 
clature.  The  controverted  points  were  in  reference  to  the 
Northern  Greening  and  Dumelow’s  Seedling  Apples,  and  of  the 
first-mentioned  Mr.  Pearson  infers,  from  some  statements  made 
by  me,  that  I  could  not  have  the  true  variety  according  to  my 
•description  as  to  its  being  a  vigorous  groiver.  He  correctly 
describes  the  shape  of  the  fniit ;  also,  that  being  a  most  prolific 
bearer,  the  fruits  are  naturally  apt  “  to  become  comparatively 
small.”  Otherwise,  my  own  experience  is  to  the  effect  that  “it 
is  of  medium  size  as  a  culinary  Apple.”  I  certainly  did  not  intend 
to  imply  that  the  Northern  Greening  as  being  one  of  the  most 
vigorous  growers,  and  in  this  respect  cannot  compare  with  such  as 
Blenheim  Pippin,  Hanwell  Souring,  and  several  others.  But 
under  favourable  conditions  I  have  known  numerous  specimen 
standards  in  South  Warwickshire  almost  attain  the  proportions 
cf  those  vigorous  growing  varieties,  exceptmg  iierhaps  of  a  con¬ 
siderably  less  spreading  habit,  and  several  bushels  or  pots 
gathered  from  a  single  tree.  The  Northern  Greening  half  a 
century  ago  used  to  be  a  great  favourite  with  my  (deceased) 
father,  and  who  was  an  enthusiast  in  hardy  fruit  culture,  and  as 
a  late  winter  Apple  it  was  his  “  sheet  anchor,”  as  also  Hanwell 
Souring,  for  the  supply  of  a  large  establishment.  In  fact,  some 
years  the  crop  of  Apples  was  so  great  that  he  was  obliged  to 
dispose  of  a  proportion  elsewhere.  The  Northern  Greening  (or 
“Johns”  and  “Jacks,”  as  he  familiarly  termed  them)  was  in  his 
estimation,  as  also  that  of  the  chef  and  the  other  members  of  the 
establishment,  considered  to  be  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  a  culinary 
Apple,  requiring  but  little  sugar,  and  producing,  when  roasted  in 
the  oven,  an  abundance  of  sweet  jelly,  hence  altogether  superior 
to  the  more  acidulous  varieties,  such  as  Dumelow’s  Seedling  (I 
will  adopt  this  name  for  the  nonce  out  of  respect  to  my  worthy 
■opponent,  in  lieu  of  “  Wellington  ”)  and  Hanwell  Souring.  These, 
with  the  Northern  Greening  afforded  the  principal  supply  of  late 
keeping  Apples  at  the  period  indicated.  Such  excellent  varieties 
as  Lane’s  Prince  Albert  and  Bramley’s  Seedling  were  not  then 
in  commerce. 
Mr.  Pearson  adverts  to  the  comparative  small  size  of  the 
Northern  Greening.  But  surely  that  is  an  almost  secondary  con¬ 
sideration,  when  considering  its  smooth  and  regular  shape,  small, 
closed  eye,  and  narrow,  shallow  basin — thus  least  ivastefnl  in 
paring.  Your  correspondent  remarks  that  what  he  calls  the 
“  Old  John  Apple  ”  does  not  resemble  Northern  Greening,  having 
a  flattened  outline  and  an  open  eye,  ivhich  description  agrees 
with  samples  that  came  under  my  notice  in  Birmingham  Market 
last  winter  from  Bromsgrove,  Worcestershire.  They  were  very 
small,  with  also  a  longish,  slender  stalk,  and  the  flavour  inferior 
to  the  Northern  Greening;  it  was  possibly  the  identical  variety 
mentioned,  and  was  named  by  the  vendor  Northern  Greening. 
In  conclusion,  I  may  also  be  permitted  to  observe  J:hat  both  in 
Hogg’s  “  Fruit  Manual  ”  and  Thompson’s  “  Gardeners’  Assistant  ” 
the  descriptions  of  the  Apple  in  question  very  nearly  assimilate 
as  faithful  portrayers.  The  latter  as  follows  :  “  Fruit  rather  large 
or  middle-sized  oval  or  ovate,  with  a  regular  outline  ;  eye  small, 
closed,  set  in  a  small  shallow  basin,  and  surrounded  by  some  small 
knobby  plaits;  stalk  short,  frequently  inserted  obliquely,  the 
base  of  the  fruit  forming  a  projecting  curve  on  one  side,  Ac.  ;  its 
shoots  are  marked  with  a  greater  number  of  spots  than  those  of 
any  other  Apple.”  “  The  John  Apple  cf  some.” 
One  word  regarding  the  name  Wellington  (a  synonym  of 
Dumelow’s  Seedling  or  Crab,  Normanton  Wonder),  and  which 
Mr.  Pearson  takes  exception  to.  The  former  is  the  name  by 
which  it  is  shown  in  the  London  markets,  and  perhaps  owing  to 
this  fact  that  in  the.  second  edition  of  the  “Fruit  Manual”  Dr. 
Hogg  adopted  it  in  preference  to  the  others.  After  the  explana¬ 
tions  on  both  sides  I  opine  that  Mr.  Pearson  and  my  humble  .self 
will  join  issue  in  our  estimate  of  the  Apple  in  question,  and  as  he 
so  generously  appended  his  name  and  address,  I  feel  it  incumbent 
on  me  to  remove  my  anonymity  by  subscribing  as — William 
Gardiner,  Harborne,  Birmingham. 
“  The  Father  of  the  Gardening  Press :  A  Tribute/’ 
I  feel  I  must  write  and  tell  you,  in  reading  “Landscape 
Gardening”  {Journal  of  Horticulture,  January  16,  1902),  how 
delighted  I  was  to  read  the  tribute  paid  to  Loudon  and  his  great 
work,  the  “  Arboretum  Britannicum.”  I  look  upon  the  above  as 
a  Noble  Work.  Being  a  great  lover  of  trees,  words  cannot  express 
my  admiration  of  that  grand  work.  Loudon  must  have  been  a 
most  indu.strious  and  noble  soul.  Long  may  his  works  survive 
him  is  the  wish  of — Yours  sincerely,  Alice  Baker.  P.S. — By  the 
aid  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  I  am  fortunate  enough  to 
possess  a  good  copy  of  the  “  Arboretum  Britannicum,”  which  is 
priceless  to  me.  I  also  have  a  good  copy  of  “  The  Suburban 
Gardener  and  Villa  Companion,”  by  Loudon,  obtained  through 
the  Journal. — A.  B. 
Frigi  Domo. 
In  reply  to  “  Inquirer,”  page  561,  December  19,  last  volume, 
I  may  state  that,  in  addition  to  the  special  utility  of  frigi  domo 
curtains,  I  have  also  found  them  useful  in  other  respects  when 
not  required  for  that  purpose ;  for  instance,  when  dispensed  with 
after  the  spring  frosts  were  pa.st  doing  harm,  and  the  foliage  of 
the  Avail  trees  had  become  sufficient  to  protect  the  young  fruit 
from  later  slight  frosts,  I  have  found  them  most  handy  protectors 
from  sudden  frosts  in  the  month  of  May  and  even  early  June, 
for  the  earlier  bedded-out  flower  garden  plants.  They  are  much 
lighter  in  Aveight  than  the  ordinary  Russian  garden  mats,  hence 
rendering  the  material  altogether  a  comparatively  inexpensive 
garden  requisite,  and  infinitely  more  durable  than  mats.  I  am 
herein  reminded  that  Messrs.  Eddy  manufacture  a  specially 
dressed  canvas  as  a  frost  protection  for  frames,  &c.,  being  superior 
to  mats  and  very  durable.  The  ends  are  hemmed  to  keep  them 
from  fraying,  and  cords  are  attached  to  the  sides  for  fixing.  The 
Russian  mats,  though  very  useful,  are  comparatively  cumbrous, 
especially  during  wet  AAmather,  and  in  driving  high  -winds  require 
heavy  boards  or  slabs  of  Avood  to  keep  them  in  position.  Frigi 
domo  can  usually  be  ordered  through  a  nurseryman,  and  certainly 
always  from  horticultural  sundriesmen.  The  cost  per  given  size 
can  be  ascertained  from  the  latter  mentioned  firms. — G. 
Ideals  f«r  the  Future. 
“D.”  Avrites  suggesting  “That  now,  Avhen  the  subject  of 
a  ‘  Hall  versus  Nbav  Garden  ’  for  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
is  likely  to  crop  up,  alloAv  me  to  suggest  to  those  in  favour  of 
a  Horticultural  Hall  that  it  Avould  be  a  grand  ideal  to  find 
offices  and  chambers  Avithin  such  Hall  for  the  Gardeners’  Royal 
Benevolent  Institution,  and  also  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan 
Fund.  Whether  the  United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident 
Society  could  also  be  provided  for,  seeing  that  society  is  more 
a  private  concern  than  the  other  tivo,  would  require  to  be 
strictly  considered.  But  the  tAvo  charities  would  thus  receive 
prominence,  and  would  be  brought  directly  under  the  notice  of 
the  wealthy  patrons  of  horticulture  Avho  are  the  main  supporters 
of  these  institutions.  Strangers  coming  to  London  could  also 
save  themseh'-es  the  trouble  of  running  hither  and  thither  simply 
by  going  straight  to  the  central  Horticultural  Hall.  Indeed, 
an  important  bureau  for  tlie  use  of  all  sections  of  the  horti¬ 
cultural  fraternity  might  reasonably  be  expected  to  deAmlop  in 
a  veiy  short  period.  I  live  in  hopes  of  seeing  the  Hall  an 
accomplished  fact,  and  among  other  ideals  I  trust  our  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  Avill  some  da5f  in  the  near  future  have 
delegates  coming  up  once  or  twice  a  year  from  the  more  repre¬ 
sentative  provincial  societies  to  discuss  AAuth  the  Council  of  the 
R.H.S.  horticultural  matters  in  general,  and  to  formulate  plans 
for  the  greater  development  of  our  beloved  profession,  both 
industrially  and  as  an  art  of  taste,  in  this  our  grand  old  Mother¬ 
land.  Yes,  and  aauII  we  omit  to  help  even  the  Colonies — D.” 
