444 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
will  be  content  if  Nature  treats  him  with  a  happy  medium 
in  the  shape  of  a  moderate  crop.  From,  appearances  now 
there  are  reasons  why  he  may  venture  to  expect  this,  if  we 
may  form  any  judgment  by  the  show  of  bloom.* 
Speaking  of  beauty  in  flqwTering  trees,  I  do  not  think 
anything  could  be  more  attractive  than  a  Cherry  orchard 
w’hen  in  full  bloom.  '  In  Kent  there  are  miles  of  them, 
nothing  but  a  mass  of  pinky  white  blossoms,  set  against  the 
delicate  shade  of  the  bursting  foliagej  and  presenting  a 
picture  that  w'ords  can  only  convey  a  faint  impression..  If 
Kent  had  nothing  else  to  boast  of,  its  Chert’y  orchards  would 
be  sufficient,  and  in  the  spring  time  they  are  worth  travelling 
many  miles  to  see.  That  soil  and  situation  are  suitable  is 
obvious  by  the  way  they  flourish,  and  it  must  also  be  said 
that  the  growers  play  their  part  well.  In  some  of  the  old 
orchards  there  are  giant  trees  with  massive  stems  and 
mighty  limbs.  The  spread  of  the  latter  is  extensive,  and 
when  every  twig  represents  a  spray  of  b-lossom,  the  effect 
of  the  whole  is  perfectly  charming.  As  a  rule,  the  Cherry 
is  a  certain  bloomer,  and  almost  every  spring  the  floral 
picture  is  the  same,  though  the  same  cannot  be  said  of  the 
results  of  the  blossom.  Frost,  hailstorms,  cold  winds,  and 
blight  have  to  be  reckoned  with,  and  one  or  other  of  these 
troubles  may  upset  calculations,  even  when  prospects  are 
most  fair.  Last  season  was  a  splendid  one  for  fruit,  and 
crops  in  all  districts  were  heavy.  So  plentiful  w'ere  Cherries, 
in  fact,  that  there  was  a  glut,  and  general  complaints  about 
low  prices,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  county  prac¬ 
tically  holds  the  monopoly  for  the  production  of  th's  fruit. 
Simultaneously  with  the  bloom  of  the  Cherries  and  the 
Plums  we  have  Pears,  which  are  giving  good  promise.  1 
question,  however,  whether  Pear  culture  for  profit  has  been 
given  so  much  attention  as  it  deserves  in  the  southern  county 
of  Kent.  A  few  growers  make  them  a  speciality,  but  for  the 
most  part  they  are  mixed  with  other  fruits  in  orchards  and 
plantations,  without  occupying  a  leading  position.  It  is 
never  well  to  make  too  sure  of  Pears  from  the  quantity  of 
bloom.  Very  often,  w'hen  the  latter  is  thickly  set,  it  falls  ofl’ 
wholesale,  and  black  centres  are  displayed  instead  of  setting 
fruits.  Good  Pear  seasons  are  not  the  general  rule,  and  it 
would  be  useless  to  prophesy  ;  but,  taking  the  clusters  of 
white  blossoms  now  studding  the  trees  as  a  guide,  prospects 
are  certainly  hopeful. 
Perhaps  of  all  hardy  fruits  the  outlook  for  the  Apple 
crop  claims  the  wddest  attention.  Last  year  it  was  scanty 
and  spasmodic.  In  some  districts  fruit  was  fairly  plentiful, 
and  realised  good  prices  ;  but  in  others  Apples  were  mostly 
conspicuous  by  their  absence.  When  discussing  the  bloom 
of  Pears  and  stone  fruits,  one  cannot  say  much  about  the 
prospects  of  Apples,  as  the  buds  are  only  swelling,  and  have 
yet  to  develop  into  flower.  The  signs,  however,  are  there, 
and  display  a  good  promise  of  bloom.  I  have  enlarged 
somewhat  on  the  beauty  of  the  Cherry  tree  ■when  in  flower, 
and  the  charms  of  Apple  blossom  are  also  generally  admitted. 
Diu’ing  the  flowering  time  the  Kentish  orchards  are  beauti¬ 
ful  objects  ;  and  if  the  growers  are  glad  to  see  it  over,  and 
the  young  fruits  where  blossoms  were,  it  is  only  on  account 
of  their  natural  anxiel^  to  secure  a  crop. 
No  matter  which  way  we  look  there  is  fruit  blossom,  and 
everybody  is  ready  to  discuss  the  promise.  This  important 
season  is  only  short  ;  just  a  few  weeks,  and  one  after 
another  the  flower  petals  will  have  fallen  to  the  ground, 
leaving  behind  the  infant  fruit  that  brings  satisfaction  and 
profit,  oj’,  as  occasionally  happens,  nothing,  which  means 
disappointment  and  loss. — H. 
- -  ■  — 
Cactus  Dahlias. 
Among  the  varieties  grown  for  the  first  time  last  year  not 
one  pleases  me  moi'e  than  does  .1.  W.  Wilkinson.  It  is  fine  as 
an  exhibition  bloom,  the  extra  long  narrow  florets  giving  it  a 
light  and  charming  appearance.  But  apart  from  this,  it  is 
good  and  showy  as  a  garden  plant,  each  bloom  opening  perfect, 
and  the  stem  long  enough  to  throw  the  flower  well  up  out  of  tlie 
foliage.  Its  colour,  deep  rosy  crimson,  is  rich  and  distinct. 
Lyric  is  a  richly  shaded  and  handsome  flower.  Red  on  a 
yellow  ground  describes  the  colour,  and  the  shape  is  first-rate. 
Its  florets  are  of  extra  length,  narrow,  and  elegantly  formed. 
*  .since  tliis  was  puc  into  type  iio>ts  liave  ncriirrcil  .ml  greatly  reduced  the  .set 
of  fruits.  Cherries  are  not.  .swel  ing,  w  Idle  Straw  lit  rries  have  been  blackened. 
May  22,  1S02. 
It  is  free-flowering  and  consfant,  and  quite  distinct  in  every 
way. 
Lord  Roberts. — This  is  a  lovely  white,  hardly  pure,  perhaps, 
but  the  form  is  a  great  advance.  Its  florets  are  long,  narrow, 
and  prettily  formed;  the  bloom  large  and  perfect.  It  is  free 
and  has  a  good  wiry  stem.  Up  to  date  this  may  be  termed  the 
finest  white  Cactus  Dahlia.  , 
Vesta  is  another  improvement  in  its  shade  of  colour — a 
delicate  pink.  It  has  one  fault :  that  is,  the  blooms  are  not  borne 
stiffly  enough  to  stand  upright,  yet  tlje  stem  is  excellent.  Tire 
flowers  are  of  nice  form  and  size,  and  tire  habit  of  the  plant  most 
desirable-. 
William  Treseder  in  the.  earlier  part  of  the  season  is  w-hite  with; 
lilac  tintvS,  but  during  September  it  is  white.  Tlie  flowers  are 
first-rate  in  size  and  shape.  This  has  also  a  good  stem  and  a 
free  flowmring  habit. 
Up  to  Date,  a  salmon-red  too  little  known.  It  has  long 
narrow  florets  and  shape  of  the  finest  type,  a  long  stem,  and 
excellent  in'  its  habit  of  grow-th  and  free  flowering  qualities.  This: 
should  be  added  to  all  collections. 
Galliard  is  a  light  scarlet  flower  of  fine  size  and  fair  shape; 
but  its  short  stem  does  not  recommend  it.  There  is  room  for 
improvement  in  this  shade,  and  probably  the  old  Starfish  is  still 
the  best. 
Cornucopia  is  really  fine.  It  produces  huge  blooms  of  a 
salmon-red  shade,  and  the  florets  are  long  and  narrow.  ,  This  is 
extremely  free  flowering  and  showy  in  the  garden',  as  well  as 
being  one  of  the  best  for  exhibition.  Among  varieties  which 
have  been  grown  more  than  one  season, 
Uncle  Tom  has  proved  itself  quite  the  best  of  the  dark  blackish 
maroon  shade.  It  is  a  striking  flower,  of  the  most  perfect,  shape, 
with  a  velvety  gloss  quite  its  owm.  To  this  may  be  added 
excellent  growTh  and  free  flo'^vering  qualities,  with  a  .stiff,  wiry 
stem.  Probably  some  time  will  elapse  before  this  variety  is  in 
its  colour  surpassed. 
Mrs.  J.  J.  Crowe. — Too  much  cannot  be  written  of  the  beauty 
of  this  variety.  Grown  large,  it  has  the  appearance  of  a 
Japanese  Chiw^santhemum.  The  long,  narrow  florets  are  splen¬ 
didly  arranged,  and  the  flowers  are  borne  on  long  stems.  Colour,, 
a  soft  shade  of  yellow.  This  is  free  and  showy  in  the  garden. 
Mrs.  Carter  Page,  rich,  velvety  crimson.-  This  is  a  really  fine 
variety.  The  blooms  have  long,  narrow  florets  which  form  into 
a  most  perfect  shape.  Its  flower  stem  is  long,  the  habit  of  the 
plant  fine,  and  i't  is  constant  the  whole  season.  '■ 
J.  F.  Hudson,  light  red,  with  fainter  shades  at  the  base  of  the 
florets  is  a  very  distinct  and  beautiful  bloom.  Tlie  shape  is 
desirable,  the  flowers  large,  and  habit  of  the  plant  good. 
Mars'  Service  is  about  the  best  of  the  older  kinds.  The- 
blooms  are  always  good,  and  it  is  especially  fine  iu  habit,  stem, 
and  free  flosvering  qualities.  Colour — or,  rather,  combination 
of  .shade.s — pink  and  heliotrope. 
Britannia. — This  may  really  be  chosen  with  the  last  named 
as  the  only  two  among  older  sorts  worth  growing.  The  colour 
is  a  buff  shade,  the  flowers  large,  and  every  one  comes  perfect  in 
form.  It  is  exceedingly  free  flowering,  and  one  of  the  best  to 
throw  its  blooms  out  from  the  foliage. 
Countess  of  Lonsdale  is  a-  variety  with  a  verj'  fine  habit  of 
growth.  In  this  respect  it  is  a  model.  The  flowers,  w-liich  are  a 
nice  shade  of  salmon  pink,  are  well  formed  and  striking.  It  wiil 
probably  be  thought  heavy  for  show  purposes,'  but  nevertheless 
it  is  a  fine  type. 
Luccico. — This  orange  yellow  flower  is  notable  for  its  capital 
size  and  perfect  finish.  It  has  a  good  stem  and  the  flowers  are 
freely  produced.  In  its  shade  of  colour  it  must  still  be  classed 
the  be.st. 
Novelties. 
The  improved  Cactus  Dahljas  were  presented  in  great  numbers 
last  season,  and  in  many  cases  there  was  a  real  improvement. 
Flowers  with  long  and  narrow  florets  are  on  the  increase ;  but,  of 
course,  one  cannot  form  an  idea  of  the  habit  of  growth  of  these 
new  kinds  as  they  are  exhibited.  As  shown,  the  yellows,  Mrs. 
A.  F.  Perkins  and  Mrs.  Edward  Mawley  are  charming.  The 
former  is  a  light  shade  with  white  tips,  the  latter  is  a  nice  shade, 
with  florets  that  tend  to  incurv'e  towards  the  centre  of  the- 
flower.  Aunt  Chloe  is  a  fine  variety  of  a  dark  maroon  shade. 
Clara  Stredwick,  light  amber,  is  most  elegant;  and  another 
amber  tinted  kind  is  Clio.  Rufus  is  a  very  striking  shade  of 
terra-cotta  red.  The  two  distinct  shades  in  one  bloom  as  known 
in  the  varieties  Arachne  and  Tlie  Clown  are  to  be  found  in  such 
new  sorts  as  Mrs.  H.  J.  Jones,  Columbia,  and  Gabriel.  I  like 
'the  first -named  best.  Ringdove  is  exquisite  in  its  delicate 
shades  of  buff,  white,  and  pink.  Miss  Winchester  has  flowers  of 
a  distinct  shade  of  salmon  pink.  Mrs.  Winstanley  is  a  bloom 
amber  crimson  in  colour.  Those  named  appeared  to  me  the  best 
among  about  forty  novelties.  Other  kinds  worth  noting  are:  — 
Mrs.  H.  A.  Needs,  crimson  shade;  R.  Needham,  vivid  red; 
P.  W.  Tullach,  ceri.se  shade;  W.  F.  Balding,  amber;  Alpha,, 
lilac  splashed  crimson,  not  a  narrow  floret,  but  the  first  of  a  new 
break  of  “fancy”  combinations  in  colour;  Spitfire,  scarlet  with 
buff  reverse. — H.  S. 
