March  16,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
213 
Recent  Weather  in  London. — No  one  could  have  wished  for 
pleasanter  weather  than  that  which  prevailed  in  the  metropolis  on 
Saturday  and  Sunday.  However,  it  was  not  to  last,  for  on  Monday 
and  Tuesday  we  were  wrapped  in  a  dense  fog,  which  reminded  one 
forcibly  of  a  November  or  a  December  day.  Wednesday  brought  a 
change  to  more  cheerful  conditions. 
-  Weather  in  the  North. — The  weather  of  the  second  week 
of  March  has  been  variable,  rain  and  sunshine  alternating  daily  with 
a’ generally  high  wind  from  the  west.  Sunday  was  the  finest  day  of 
the  season,  with  quite  a  spring-like  sunny  atmosphere.  The  forenoon  of 
Monday  was  wet,  the  afternoon  pleasant  ;  in  the  evening  the  thermometer 
stood  at  47®.  The  morning  of  Tuesday  was  dull  and  somewhat  colder. — 
B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
-  The  National  Auricula  and  Primula  Society.— The 
twenty-second  annual  report  of  the  Southern  Section  of  this  Society 
reaches  us  from  Mr.  T.  E.  Henwood,  Hamilton  Road,  Reading,  the  Hon. 
Secretary.  The  report  is  written  in  a  congratulatory  vein,  but  emphasises 
the  desirability  of  enrolling  fresh  members.  We  observe  that  a  packet  of 
Alpine  Auricula  seed  is  given  gratis  to  every  member  of  the  Society 
through  the  generosity  of  Mr.  J.  Douglas  and  Mr.  C.  Phillips.  The 
annual  show  will  be  held  at  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  Westminster, 
on  April  19th,  1899, 
-  The  Midland  Carnation  and  Picotee  Society.— From 
the  schedule  of  this  Association,  which  has  come  to  hand,  we  learn 
that  the  Exhibition  will  this  year  be  held  on  August  2nd  and  3rd.  The 
prizes,  cups,  and  medals  offered  for  competition  on  this  occasion  reach  a 
value  approaching  £200,  and  this  sum  ought  to  draw  forth  some  superb 
collections  of  flowers.  From  the  balance  sheet  and  report  embodied  in 
the  same  book  it  is  pleasing  to  see  that  the  Society’s  affairs  are  in  a 
satisfactory  state.  The  Hon.  Secretary  is  Mr.  Henry  Smith,  Tenby 
Street,  Birmingham, 
-  Acacia  leprosa. — This  species  can  be  grown  and  flowered  well 
in  pots  ;  but  to  be  seen  at  its  best  it  should  be  planted  against  a  pillar 
or  other  similar  support,  the  main  branches  being  tied  close  to  the  pillar 
and  the  side  shoots  allowed  their  freedom.  In  this  way  it  grows  freely, 
and  quickly  covers  a  large  space.  By  cutting  back  the  side  shoots  each 
spring  after  flowering  much  better  results  can  be  had,  for  long  arching 
growths  are  made,  3  feet  or  more  long,  which  are  literally  smothered 
with  pretty  golden  heads  of  blossom  for  a  month  or  more  in  February  or 
March.  In  addition  to  its  beauty  whilst  in  flower  the  pretty,  graceful 
growths  hanging  from  a  pillar  ore  very  attractive  from  .July  onwards 
until  the  pruning  takes  place. — D. 
-  Planting  Tomatoes  Deeply. — I  have  to  thank  “  H.  D.,”  who 
is  a  skilled  cultivator,  for  publishing  the  results  of  his  experience  in 
reference  to  the  effects  of  planting  Tomatoes  deeply  or  otherwise.  He 
shows — and,  as  he  states,  from  a  far  larger  experiment  than  I  had  sug¬ 
gested — that  burying  stems  deep  is  not  productive  of  any  better  results 
than  is  shallow  potting,  no  stem  or  adventitious  roots  being  encouraged 
to  form.  This  experience  fully  bears  out  what  I  have  maintained — viz., 
that  the  roots  which  Nature  furnishes  to  Tomato  plants  are,  under  ordi¬ 
nary  culture,  fully  capable  of  sustaining  the  plants  in  carrying  heavy 
crops,  whilst  burying  naked  stems  to  induce  them  to  put  forth  new  or 
adventitious  roots  is  but  utilising  them  at  the  expense  of  Nature’s  roots. 
“  H.  D.”  admits  that  even  under  his  careful  culture  some  seedling  plants 
will  have  elongated  stems  ;  but  even  if  so  they  will  be  found  to  have  a 
plentiful  supply  of  Nature’s  or  basal  roots  all  the  same  ;  and  as  he  has 
shown  conclusively,  as  the  result  of  his  published  experience,  that  burying 
stems  deeply  does  not  increase  crops,  we  are  driven  to  the  logical  conclu¬ 
sion  that  elongated  stems  are  buried  to  hide  their  nakedness  rather  than 
to  help  increase  productiveness,  although  growers  will  fondly  hug  the 
illusion  that  in  doin^  so  such  is  their  object.  One  would  think  that  all 
plants  w'ere  grown  in  pots  to  be  afterwards  moulded  up  the  stems. 
Thousands  of  plants  are  put  out  from  pots  into  the  open  ground,  into  soil 
beds,  into  boxes  and  troughs,  the  stems  not  being  unduly  buried,  and 
these  are  never  moulded  up,  yet  they  produce  superb  crops.  Really 
where  plants  are  raised  by  thin  sowings  stout  and  sturdy  no  one  in 
planting  thinks  of  burying  the  otems. — A.  1). 
-  Gardening  Appointment. — Mr.  Buckett,  late  of  Norrysbury, 
Barnet,  Herts,  has  been  appointed  gardener  to  H.  Graystone,  Esq.,  The 
Moor,  Hay,  Breconshire. 
-  Death  op  Mr.  William  Harris. — Mr.  William  Harris,  for 
the  last  forty  years  head  gardener  at  Canwick  Hall,  Lincoln,  died  there 
on  the  6th  inst.  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty  years.  The  deceased,  who  had 
been  in  failing  health  for  several  months,  was  well  known  and  highly 
respected  in  the  district.  He  was  a  good  gardener  and  a  kind  hearted 
man,  ever  ready  to  assist  and  encourage  those  under  him.  He  enjoyed 
the  entire  confidence  and  regard  of  his  employers,  C.  C.  Sibthorp,  Esq., 
F.R.H.S.,  and  Mrs.  Sibthorp.  The  funeral  took  place  on  Thursday  last 
in  Canwick  churchyard.  The  deceased’s  successor  at  Canwick  Hall  is 
Mr.  G.  Green. 
-  Apple  Golden  Noble. — For  cooking  purposes  this  is  a  very 
fine  variety,  and  the  surprise  is  that  it  gets  so  rarely  a  passing  reference. 
It  is  true  that  among  the  overwhelming  number  even  of  good  varieties 
some  must  go  unnoticed,  but  in  a  fairly  large  collection  this,  to  my  mind, 
deserves  a  place.  It  is  a  regular  bearer,  not  so  heavy  perhaps  as  some  ; 
but  in  this  there  is  an  advantage,  because  one  is  spared  the  trouble 
of  thinning,  and  the  fruits  are  individually  larger,  and  consequently 
better  in  every  respect.  It  has  a  tempting  appearance  in  the  depth  of 
colour  in  its  skin,  is  perfectly  distinct,  and  an  excellent  cooking  Apple. 
With  me  it  is  a  midwinter  sort,  but  in  some  soils  it  would  keep  till  later 
in  the  winter. — S. 
-  Bouvardia  Propagation. — In  a  short  paper  on  Bouvardias 
recently,  the  writer  refers  to  the  method  of  propagation  by  roots.  I  saw 
it  in  operation,  and  some  of  its  results  the  other  day  at  Woodhatch.  Mr. 
Salter  took  down  from  a  shelf  several  pots  that  had  been  filled  with  root 
cuttings  but  a  fortnight  previously,  and  there  were  shoots  half  an  inch 
long,  and  just  peeping  out  of  the  soil.  A  piece  or  two  lifted  out 
showed  the  portions  of  roots  to  be  from  1  inch  to  inch  in  length,  and 
laid  into  the  soil  fairly  close  together,  then  covered  with  a  thin  surface 
of  fine  sandy  material.  The  breaks  were  not  from  the  apex  of  the  root 
cutting,  like  we  see  from  Seakale  roots,  but  from  a  root  bud  very  near  the 
apex.  The  method  seems  to  be  a  peculiarly  simple  one,  and  to  bring  in 
plants  of  compact  habit  and  very  floriferous. — A. 
-  Eucharis  Culture. — I  send  herewith  a  photograph  of  the 
Eucliaris  as  growing  at  Ghyllbank,  St.  Helens.  It  was  taken  on 
February  8th  by  an  amateur.  It  does  not  show  a  crowd  of  blooms,  as 
every  one  expanded  was  cut  two  days  previously.  I  was  much  interested 
in  Mr.  Shalford’s  article  in  the  Journal  of  Hortioultnre  for  March  2nd, 
although  the  methods  that  he  recommends  for  growing  them  differ  in 
several  points  from  my  system.  I  make  no  attempt  at  resting,  either  by 
cooler  or  drier  treatment,  and  no  manure  or  stimulant  of  any  kind  is 
used.  They  are  repotted  about  every  four  years,  but  I  think  three  years 
long  enough.  Of  course  by  feeding  they  might  be  kept  in  good  condi¬ 
tion  much  longer.  I  also  send  photo  of  a  single  flower  stem  with  a 
ten-petalled  flower  on  it.  It  is  the  only  bloom  of  abnormal  form  among 
about  2700  that  I  have  cut  since  Christmas. — J.  J.,  Lancashire,  [The 
plants  are,  it  is  easy  to  see,  admirably  grown,  and  must  be  a  pleasure  to 
the  cultivator.  Unfortunately  we  are  unable  to  reproduce  the  photo¬ 
graphs  that  have  been  sent.  The  ten  petalled  flower  is  very  attractive.] 
-  Planting  Fruit  Trees. — Would  that  we  could  have  the 
pleasure  of  reading  a  few  more  notes  from  the  pen  o'  our  esteemed  friend 
Mr.  E.  Luckhurst,  for  he  is  so  thoroughly  practical.  I  read  with  much 
interest  his  few  fruit  planting  notes,  under  that  eminently  alliterative 
title  of  the  three  F.’s,  and  felt  how  thoroughly  he  was  right  in  protest¬ 
ing  against  the  old  fallacy  that  southern  raised  trees— and  the  remark 
applies  to  trees  and  shrubs  generally,  as  well  as  to  fruit  trees — are  not 
hardy  enough  to  plant  northwards.  So  far  from  that  being  the  case,  they 
should  be  really  hardier,  seeing  that  under  southern  suns  and  on  warmer 
soils  both  wood  and  roots  get  harder  and  more  matured  than  can  be  the 
case  in  the  north.  But  generally,  I  think,  when  ordering  trees  it  is  best 
not  to  go  farther  from  home  than  is  absolutely  needful,  because  trees  are 
often,  over  long  journeys,  some  three  or  four  days  on  the  road,  and  if 
most  carefully  packed  the  roots  get  dried.  I  have  often  thought  that  failure 
on  the  part  of  amateurs  after  planting  has  largely  resulted  from  not 
having  taken  the  trouble  to  soak  the  roots  in  water  some  twenty-four 
hours  before  planting.  Of  course  it  often  happens  that  the  desired 
trees  can  only  be  obtained  at  some  remote  nursery,  and  it  is 
specially  desirable  then  the  roots  be  well  soaked  before  being  planted. 
That  nurserymen  can  plant  in  their  nurseries  so  late  as  April  and  even 
May,  of  many  things  with  so  much  success  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  tree  and  shrub  roots  are  so  little  exposed,  and  therefore  are  not  drie  t 
ere  being  replanted.—  PRACTICE. 
