Jamuiry  22,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
77 
last  twenty  or  even  twelve  years  ;  yet  weall  agree  that  these  changes 
have  generally  been  improvements.  Varieties  in  colours  of  dis¬ 
tinctive  blue,  white,  and  rose  are  offered,  and  when  properly  cul¬ 
tivated,  the  Canterbury  Bells  are  images  of  the  choicest  beauty. 
Aquilegias  figure  prominently  in  the  open  brakes,  and  I  believe 
the  seeds  are  sown  in  February  for  plants  that  arei  put  out  in 
June,  though  meant  to  flower  the  season  following.  Thus  they 
stand  the  winter. 
Gaillardias,  A'erbenas,  and  Nasturtiums  (or,  correctly,  Tro- 
pseolums),  being  speedy  in  growth  and  conspicuously  bright  in 
flowers,  are  specially  treated.  The  catalogue  of  the  firm  must  be 
consulted  for  a  list  of  the  varieties,  and  I  can  guarantee  the 
merits  of  those  that  are  retained  for  seed  harvesting  at  Orping¬ 
ton.  Tlie  sacrifice  of  plants  in  rogueing  operations  during  the 
annuals  and  other  plants  whose  utility  is  purely  that  of  garden 
embellishment.  I  may  mention  that  Mr.  Ireland  was  a  noted 
West  of  Scotland  florist  prior  to  his  being  invited  to  join  Dobbie 
and  Co.,  and  his  experience  as  a  grower  and  competitor  among 
the  class  of  plants  he  handles  is  invaluable  to  him.  He  knows 
exactly  what  the  competitors’  ideals  are. 
My  survey  of  the  vegetables  must  be  very  brief.  I  have  vivid 
recollections  of  the  handsome  lines  upon  lines  of  shining  Onion 
bulbs  with  swollen  sides  and  narrow  necks,  each  a  replica  of  the 
other,  and  all  prize  models.  This  was  Bobbie’s  Golden  Globe, 
and  I  believe  it  has  only  to  be  grown  once  to  be  adhered  to.  In 
the  way  of  Carrots  there  were  Scarlet  Perfection,  Stump  Rooted, 
Altrincham,  and  Selected  Intermediate.  If  anyone  desires  notes 
in  reference  to  the  seed-grower.s’  routine  of  culture  and  methods 
growing  season  is  great  indeed,  hut  it  is  absolutely  essential 
to  success.  Each  variety  of  plant  in  these  seed  beds  is  grown  in 
lilocks  by  itself,  and  the  strictest  care  is  exercised  to  keep  it 
pure.  Thus  we  have  the  section  devoted  to  Asters.  First  comes 
a  block  of  quilled  varieties,  each  distinctive  sort  in  a  bed  by 
itself,  yet  side  by  side  with  its  neighbours  of  the  same  type. 
Then  we  pass  on  to  the  Conn't  Asters,  and  the  Victorias,  the 
Pseony-flowered,  the  Chrysanthemum-flowered,  the  singles,  and 
others,  and  the  same  kind  attention  is  received  by  each.  The 
ultimate  re.sult  of  man’s  work  is  certainly  prominently  impressed 
in  tile  evenness  of  quality  and  the  merits  of '  the  types  repre¬ 
sented.  tViiat  Mr.  Ireland,  on  behalf  of  his  firm,  sets  himself  to 
do  is  this ;  To  produce  (1)  pure  stock  of  whatever  ho  grows ;  (2) 
to  have  the  following  values  established  in  all  his  flowering 
genera — a  recogni.sed  good  habit  of  growth,  form,  colour,  and  size 
according  to  the  ideals  in  all  florist,s’  flowers,  and  plenteousne.s.s 
and  brilliance  of  flowers  as  well  as  comely  habit  in  those  lines  of 
of  testing  his  samples  of  Carrots,  Beets,  and  some  other  cro])s, 
information  will  be  found  in  the  Journal  of  llorl icult arc.  for 
January  2,  1902.  The  Perfect  Gem  and  Bobbie’s  Marliest 
Cabbages,  with  improved  Winningstadt  each  demanded  special 
recognition,  and  the  Golden  Globe  Turnip  springs  to  the  mind 
as  another  fine  form  of  its  kind.  That  handsome  new  Potato, 
The  Factor,  which  received  an  Award  of  Merit  last  autumn  at 
Chiswick,  is  also  grown  at  Orpington,  and  yields  cleanly  and  well. 
Out  of  doors  on  a  warm  border  was  The  Garland  Tomato,  a 
decorative  scarlet  sort,  v  Inch  fruits  freely;  and  for  ('xhibition 
uses  or  general  kitchen  supply  one  can  confidently  naim>  Bobbie’s 
Conference  Tomato. 
Birds  are  somewhat  troublesome  on  the  seed-heads  of  Beet 
and  Cauliflowers,  and  so.  to  induce  them  to  leave  these  alone,  the 
manager  sows  a  few  rods  of  Radishes  purposely  for  their  appro¬ 
priation  and  diversion.  The  practice  .seems  to  succeed. — Wa.\- 
DEitiNG  AVillie. 
