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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
March  16,  1899. 
on  to  make  top  prices  in  the  market,  as  well  as  being  appreciated  on  the 
dessert  table. 
Mr.  Thomson  refers  to  a  dish  of  Noblesse  exhibited  by  him  in  1865, 
but  this  variety  would  now  stand  little  chance  against  the  varieties 
mentioned  above.  With  reference  to  this  variety  an  amusing  incident 
happened  not  many  years  ago  in  a  neighbouring  county,  where  a  large 
house  party  had  assembled.  Araopgst  them  was  a  noted  clerical  gentle¬ 
man  who  was  much  interested  m  gardening.  The  gardener  was  desirous 
of  placing  some  of  his  best  products  on  the  table.  The  only  Peaches  ripe 
at  that  time  were  Noblesse,  large  fruit,  but  wanting  in  colour.  He  con¬ 
sulted  the  cook,  who  supplied  him  with  some  artificial  colouring.  The 
fruit  was  duly  operated  on  with  a  fair  amount  of  success,  and  was  placed 
on  the  table.  No  remark  was  passed,  and  all  was  supposed  to  have  gone 
well.  But  judge  of  the  gardener's  feelings  the  next  morning  on  meeting 
the  clergyman,  who  remarked,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  “  Those  Peaches 
were  very  good,  but  don’t  you  think  you  laid  the  colouring  on  rather  too 
thick  1  ” 
I  can  corroborate  all  “H.  H.”  says  in  favour  of  Sea  Eagle,  and 
if  only  one  sort  for  late  use  is  required  this  is  the  variety  to  plant. 
Barrington  may  always  be  relied  on  to  carry  a  heavy  crop  ot  large  well 
coloured  fruit.  In  some  soils  this  variety  drops  its  fruit  more  than  is 
desirable  whilst  stoning.  It  does  not  do  so,  however,  on  our  limestone 
formation.  I  prefer  the  latter  to  Golden  Eagle,  which  requires  a  long 
season  of  growth  to  grow  it  to  perfection.  Walburton  Admirable  is  a 
shy  cropper  under  glass. — S.,  Yorks. 
Having  read  with  interest  the  notes  on  this  subject,  I  trust  the 
following  will  be  received  in  a  cordial  spirit.  I  cannot  but  be  surprised 
that  Barrington  has  had  such  scanty  notice  accorded  to  it.  It  is  a  Peach 
of  noble  appearance,  fruits  freely,  and  is  of  good  quality  when  ripe  ;  not 
quite  so  exquisitely  flavoured  as  some  possibly,  but  it  should  be  included 
amongst  the  late  sorts  if  only  because  it  is  such  a  free  setter  and  generous 
bearer,  Bellegarde  can  hardly  be  left  out,  or  Dymond  and  Stirling 
Castle.  Royal  George  with  me  is  subject  to  mildew,  otherwise  it  would 
be  recommended.  Alexandra  Noblesse  is  grand,  worthy  a  place  anywhere. 
Sea  Eagle,  again,  as  a  late  variety,  is  fine.  As  an  early  I  find  Alexander 
cannot  be  dispensed  with.  I  have  not  grown  Waterloo.  Hale’s  Early  is 
one  of  our  best  as  second  early,  and  is  a  handsome  productive  Peach. 
Why  is  Crimson  Galande  not  mentioned  ?  It  is  a  first-rate  variety, 
colours  splendidly,  bears  abundantly  ;  in  short,  as  a  raidseason  variety 
has  been  one  of  my  best.  These  remarks  pertain  to  ouiside  culture  only. 
—Kitchen  Gardener. 
PRIMROSES  AND  POLYANTPIUSES. 
Many  persons  have  a  genius  for  taking  trouble.  They  do  many 
things  that  are  unnecessary,  and  may  indeed  be  better  done  if  the  simplest 
course  be  adopted,  but  then  there  is  no  genius  involved  in  such  pro¬ 
cedure.  I  felt  that  must  be  the  characteristic  of  a  writer  who  advocated 
the  sowing  of  seeds  of  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  in  pots  under  glass, 
and  later  pricking  the  seedlings  out  into  a  cold  frame,  later  replanting 
finally  outdoors.  Now  were  these  plants  tender  I  could  understand  the 
need  for  all  this  care  and  concern,  but  seeing  that  they  are  hardiest  of 
the  hardy,  it  does  seem  as  if  the  advice  tendered  was  very  needlessly 
inexact. 
I  have  grown  as  many  of  these  plants  as  most  persons,  having  (or 
many  years  raised  several  thousands  annually  from  seed,  and  I  both  sowed 
outdoors  in  the  autumn  and  in  the  spring,  in  both  cases  getting  ample 
growth  and  numbers  of  hard  sturdy  plants.  But  I  prefer  sowing  about 
the  last  week  in  August  for  one  or  two  reasons.  In  the  first  place,  when 
the  seed  is  sown  soon  after  it  is  ripened  the  coats,  usually  hard,  are  less 
so  then  than  they  are  after  having  been  stored  for  the  winter.  Then  not 
only  is  growth  more  even,  but  strong  plants  are  obtained  to  stand  the 
winter  in  the  seed  beds,  where  they  winter  well.  Finally,  there  is  the 
advantage  of  being  able  to  put  out  the  plants  where  wanted  to  bloom 
direct  from  the  seed  beds,  in  April  or  May,  ]ust  as  it  may  be  convenient, 
and  the  plants  then  become  deeply  and  liniily  rooted  ere  hot  dry  weather 
sets  in,  such  as  we  communly  experience  in  the  summer.  That  is  great 
gain,  as  plants  raised  in  the  spring,  even  under  glass,  have  to  be  planted 
out  in  June  or  July,  when  the  weather  is  often  hot  and  dry. 
In  addition,  there  is  the  gam  ot  getting  in  flower  the  tollowing  spring 
plants  so  large  relatively  that  they  make  a  wonderfully  fine  show.  I 
have  commonly  had  plants  to  flower  thus  fully  12  inches  across,  and 
having  huge  heads  of  bloom.  How  simple  and  satisfactory  is  this 
method  !  But  plants  rai  ed  by  sowing  seed  outdoors  in  April  on  fine 
soil,  keeping  it  watered  and  shaded  until  good  growth  results,  are  always 
satisfactory  for  those  who  cannot  get  seed  to  sow  earlier.  Polyanthuses 
and  Primroses  are  deep  rooted,  and  once  well  hold  of  the  ground  soon 
hold  their  own  without  much  watering  being  needed.  Still,  when  planted 
out  afresh  in  the  summer  water  must  be  given  a  few  times  at  the  first  to 
enable  them  to  secure  a  hold. 
Wherever  these  hardy  spring  flowers  are  grown  it  is  wise  to  make 
a  sowing  every  year.  In  some  soils  and  situations  plants,  after  bloom¬ 
ing  time,  begin  to  die  off  or  are  eaten  up  with  spider  in  the  summer, 
or  the  crowns  become  so  thick  that  they  are  incapable  of  sustaining 
good  leafage  ;  hence  it  is  so  much  better  to  have  a  succession  of  young 
plants  to  replace  them.  It  is  belter,  too,  than  lifting  and  dividing  the 
old  ones,  excejit  where  the  soil  is  deep  and  the  atmosphere  moist.  When¬ 
ever  that  form  of  increase  is  adopted  it  is  well  to  do  it  in  the  spring, 
hard  cutting  back  the  root  stems,  and  thus  compelling  the  formation  of 
new  roots. — A.  I). 
NOTES  FROM  THE  GARDEN  ISLE. 
Mr.  Frank  Orchard,  who  for  the  past  seven  years  has  had  charge 
of  the  gardens  of  H.  Mitchell.  Esq.,  Undermount,  Bonchurch,  I.W.,  has 
left  the  above,  and  joined  his  brother,  Mr.  C.  Orchard,  in  his  business  at 
The  Harbour  Gardens,  Bembridge,  Isle  of  Wight. 
J.  Thornycroft,  Esq.,  the  head  of  the  famed  torpedo  boat-building 
firm  of  Chiswick,  and  of  Steyne  House,  Bembridge.  has  purchased  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  reclaimed  land  at  Bembridge  Harbour,  and  part  of  the 
Bembridge  Lodge  Estate,  from  the  United  Realisation  Company,  and  is 
developing  and  improving  the  property. 
The  Technical  Committee  of  the  Shanklin,  I.W.,  District  Council 
arranged  with  Mr.  C.  Orchard  of  Bembridge  to  give  a  lecture  on 
“  Hardy  Fruits  Applicable  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,”  at  the  Institute, 
Shanklin,  The  lecture  was  illustrated  by  large  coloured  diagrams. 
Varieties  of  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  Gooseberries  and  Raspberries,  which 
experience  had  proved  to  do  well  in  the  Island,  were  mentioned,  and 
the  special  feature  which  made  each  variety  valuable.  The  growing  of 
Figs  was  strongly  advocated,  the  climate  of  the  Island  being  specially 
favourable  to  tbe  growing  and  ripening  of  this  fruit.  Grading  and 
sorting  Apples  as  to  size  and  colour  was  strongly  recommended.  The 
establishment  of  a  central  wholesale  market  for  fruit  was  advocated  as 
essential  in  helping  the  growth  of  an  industry  for  which  the  locality  was 
in  many  respects  especially  favoured. 
Vegetation  in  the  Isle  of  Wight  is  not  quite  so  forward  as  last  year, 
which  was  an  exceptionally  early  one  to  a  certain  date.  Frosts  have 
occurred  frequently  ;  on  Tuesday  morning,  February  28th,  10°  was 
registered.  The  sun  during  the  day  has  shone  brilliantly,  tempting  the 
honey  bee  to  leave  the  hive  and  visit  the  yellow  Gorse  bushes.  Crocuses 
and  other  spring  flowers  are  now  in  good  bloom,  as  is  Prunus  Pissardi. 
The  heads  of  the  early  Asparagus  crop  are  showing  through  the  surface 
of  the  soil,  only  to  be  cut  off  by  the  frosts.  The  hardy  bush  fruit  trees 
are  bristling  with  flower  buds,  which  the  weather  is  keeping  back,  and 
everything  so  far  points  to  a  very  favourable  season. — Islander. 
BALSAMS. 
In  order  to  have  fine  plants  of  Balsams,  say  3  feet  high  and  as  much 
in  diameter  at  the  base,  seeds  should  be  sown  about  the  end  of  March 
in  light  rich  soil  in  pots  or  pans,  and  placed  in  a  warm  moist  place, 
such  as  a  two-light  frame  on  a  gentle  hotbed.  If  the  place  can  be 
entirely  devoted  to  the  Balsams  so  much  the  better,  and  a  piece  of  glass 
placed  over  the  seed  pan  will  assist  germination.  As  soon  as  the  seedlings 
can  be  handled  they  should  be  placed  in  small  pots,  using  slightly  richer 
soil  than  that  in  which  the  seed  was  sown.  Keep  them  plunged  in  the 
frame  with  their  foliage  not  more  than  6  inches  from  the  glass,  for  the 
object  is  to  promote  a  quick  and  sturdy  growth,  and  the  warmth  in  the 
bed  will  incite  a  healthy  and  rapid  root  action.  Shade  them  from  strong 
sunlight,  and  afford  a  little  ventilation  so  long  as  the  temperature  can  be 
kept  above  70°. 
Do  not  allow  the  plants  to  become  root-bound,  but  transfer  them  into 
5  or  6-inch  pots  as  soon  as  the  roots  are  working  freely  round  the  sides. 
This  remark  applies  with  equal  force  to  the  future,  as  any  check  at  the 
roots  will  cause  a  premature  formation  of  flower  buds,  and  thus  render 
it  almost  impossible  to  obtain  a  large,  well- dowered,  and  symmetrical 
specimen.  At  this  potting  the  soil  should  be  rich,  but  neither  too  light 
nor  too  heavy.  If  the  loam  at  hand  is  light,  then  all  that  need  be  added 
will  be  a  fourth  of  its  bulk  of  dried  cow  manure  passed  through  a  sieve, 
but  should  it  be  stiff  and  heavy  in  texture  then  a  third  ot  the  bulk  must 
be  leaf  soil,  or,  failing  that,  sand. 
Let  the  drainage  be  perfect,  but  not  necessarily  bulky.  The  soil  on 
all  occasions  ought  to  be  warm  when  used,  and  the  plants  sunk  deeper  at 
every  potting  operation.  Keep  them  plunged  in  the  hotbed,  and  not  too 
close  together  ;  apply  water  carefully,  and  allow  a  free  circulation  of  air 
according  to  the  temperature. 
Subsequently  pots  9  inches  in  diameter  may  be  used,  and  soil  as 
before  described.  If  there  is  no  longer  sufficient  head-room  in  the  frame, 
let  the  plants  be  placed  close  to  the  glass  in  a  warm  greenhouse,  taking 
care  to  maintain  an  atmosphere  as  near  like  that  of  the  hotbed  as  possible. 
As  the  side  shoots  develop  tie  them  down  close  to  the  pot.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  pass  a  wire  or  string  round  the  pot  underneath  the  rim,  to  which 
strands  of  matting  can  be  attached  from  the  shoots  above.  Occasional 
weak  suoplies  of  liquid  manure  may  be  given  as  soon  as  the  roots  have 
taken  to  the  new  soil. 
If  flower  buds  show,  keep  them  picked  off  for  the  present  until  the 
plants  are  established  in  their  largest  pots,  which  need  not  be  larger  than 
12  inches  in  diameter.  The  soil  tor  the  final  potting  ought  to  be  sound 
fibrous  loam — it  it  has  been  stacked  nine  months  and  had  a  layer  ot  manure 
between  each  two  layers  of  sods  it  will  be  just  right — three  parts  ;  cow 
manure  one  part,  and  a  dash  of  sand.  Let  the  plants  be  potted  rather 
firmly.  Stake  and  tie  out  as  the  potting  is  completed,  and  return  to  their 
growing  quarters.  Take  care  to  shade  at  all  limes  from  strong  sunshine, 
and  as  the  plants  come  into  flower  give  them  a  cooler  atmosphere  and 
feed  with  liquid  manure  as  they  require  it.  Keep  all  seed  pods  picked 
oft.  Those  who  possess  them  may  place  a  few  crushed  bones  over  the 
crocks  at  the  final  potting.— F. 
