1G8 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  19,  1903. 
readers  of  your  valuable 
Journal  have  taken  up  Mr.  Jefferies’  article  (page  17,  January  1) 
.Japanese^incurved  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums.  I. think  this  IS  a  practice  that  should  be  stopped,  and 
I  am-  su^rised  that  some  of  those  who  are  in  favour  of  it  do  not 
oppose  Mr.  Jefferies.  They  are  perhaps  afraid  it  would  be 
and  thoroughly,  threshed  out,  and,  in  all  probability, 
done  ^ay  with;  which,  I  think,  would  only  be  right— it  would 
undoubtedly  be  the  means  of  some  not  being  so  succe.ssful  at 
the  exhibitions^  It  would  also  give  visitors  a  better  opportunitv 
of  ^eing  the  flowers  in  their  natural  forms  and  judging  them 
on  their  own  merits.  Probably,  too,  it  would  save  a  few  di.s- 
ETes^x”  Harrow  Weald, 
Packing  Grapes. 
Having  had  a  great  deal  of  experience  in  packing  Grapes, 
perhaps  1  may  be  allowed  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  subject. 
1  prefer  small  cros,s>-haiidle  baskets,  to  hold  about  41b.  These 
iiiay  be  lined  well  w’ith  some  soft  wood-wool,  over  which  lay  a 
sheet  of  white  tis.sue  paper.  The  bunches  are  then  laid  in  prJint 
downwards,  and  a  piece  of  tissue  paper  put  between  each  bunch, 
tying  the  stems  to  the  side  of  the  basket,  A  large  sheet  of 
tissue  paper  may  be  laid  oyer  the  whole,  and,  finally,  some  stiff 
brown  paper  tied  over  the  basket.  Grapes  packed  in  this  way 
trayel  well  and  keep  the  bloom  on  them.  I  haye  also  used  light 
wood  boxes,  deep  enough  to  allow  a  lining  of  wood-wool,  laying 
pe  Grapes  close  together,  and  a  layer  of  wood-wool  on  the 
top,  securing  the  hd  by  two  short  wire  nails,  and  cording  round 
1  haye  also  had  fruit-boxes  with  hinged  lids,  but  I  consider  them 
rather  cumberso-me,  as-  you  cannot  take  the  lid  entirely  off  when 
packing.  I  haye  used  similar  boxes  to  the  first  mentioned  for 
packing  Peaches,  Nectarine®,  choice  Pea.rs,  &c.,  and  I  have  found 
them  to  answer  vei-y  well.  If  fruit  is  to  travel  long  distances 
1  believe  close  and  tight  packing  is  the  best.— George  Hockney, 
Strood  Farm  Wivels  Heath,  Hayward’s  Heath,  Sus.sex.  [We 
are  very  much  gratified  to  have  your  exceedingly  valuable  and 
interesting  letter.— Ed.] 
Old  Favourite  Roses. 
.  Criticism  from  “  W.  R.  Raillem  ”  is  always  refreshing,  because 
it  IS  never  done  by  halves.  The  worthy  rosarian  invariably 
appears  to-  lay  on  the  lash  with  great  vigour,  but  somehow  or 
other  there  is  usually  more  flourish  than  sting  about  the  blows 
administered,  because  of  a  considerate  check  which  intercepts 
their  fall.  I  quite  agree  with  “  W.  R.  Raillem”  that  “it  is  a 
pity  any  reader  should  be  misled  as  to  the  character  of  the  Roses 
he  IS  choosing  for  planting,”  and  for  that  reason  I  W’elcome  his 
correction  on  the  only  point  in  which  I  admit  I  erred  in  my 
recent  communication.  I  w’rote  of  La  Boule  d‘Or  from  memorj’ 
and  confounded  it  with  Reve  d’Or,  the  latter  being  the  variety 
I  intended'  to  recommend  as  a  climber. 
In  regard  to  Blairii  2,  although  it  is  only  a  suminer  Rose,  its 
many  fine  qualities  still  keep  it  in  the  front  rank  as  a  pillar 
vanety.  Mr.  Raillem’s  principal  objection  to  Moss  Roses,  the 
Cabbage,  and  Maiden’s  Blush,  also,  is  that  they  are  only  summer 
Ro.^s,  but  the  same  objection  applies  to  hosts  of  other  varieties ; 
yet  still  they  are  grown,  because  of  their  distinct  cliaracteristics. 
lastes,  of  course,  differ,  and  Roses  of  .such  types  are  not  likely 
to  be  discarded  where  variety  is  desired,  even  though  their 
undoubted  charms  are  but  fleeting.  I  am  fully  aware  that  Caro¬ 
line  Testout  is  a  Hybrid  Tea,  but  I  placed  it  where  I  did  because 
I  gave  no  other  selection  of  the  .same  type.  If  climbing  Devoni- 
ensis  is  deficient  in  beauty  in  the  bud  stage,  I  certainly  must 
haye  the  wrong  variety,  and  I  hope  to  satisfy  the  Editor  on  that 
point  during  the  coming  season. 
I  entirely  disagree  with  Mr.  Raillem  about  the  merits  of 
Perle  des  Jardins  and  Adam.  If  they  do  not  succeed  in  the 
-Eastern  Counties  they  are  quite  satisfactory  as  garden  Roses 
m  the  Midlands.  A  few  of  the  early  blooms  of  the  Perle  may 
come  unshapely,  but  the  later  ones  are  all  right,  and  itsi  flowering 
f^pa.nlities  are  grand.  I  have  recommended  this  variety  to 
bundreds  of  Rose  lovers,  and  the  verdict  usuallv  is  that  it  is 
one  of  the  bc-^t  yellow  Teas.  TI.  I). 
Celery,  Sutton’s  Solid  White. 
At  this  season  of  the  year,  when  gardeners  are  thinking  of 
sowing  seeds  of  Celery,  may  I  advise  those  who  have  not  grown 
Sutton’s  Solid  White  to  give  it  a  trial?  As  grown  here,  we 
commence  digging  it  early  in  September,  when  the  sticks  are 
beautifully  blanched,  and  the  flavour  is  all  that  can  be  desired. 
From  September  to  the  present  month  Sutton’s  Solid  White 
has  continued  to  furnish  us  with  excellent  stems,  the  sticks,  or 
heads,  retaining  their  solidity  and  freshness;  and  I  know  of  no 
other  variety  which  is  so  crisp  and  tender  as  the  above.  Another 
great  point  in  its  favour  is  its  entire  freedom  from  bolting. — 
WiLMOT  H.  Yates,  Rotherfield  Park,  Alton,  Hants.  [A  timely 
note,  and  other  similar  short  letters  at  this  season,  on  favourite 
varieties  of  vegetables,  from  our  readers  in  general  would  be 
eminently  useful,  and  we  would  endeavour  to  ensure  their 
publication.  Bear  in  mind  the  Vegetable  Conference  in  Sep¬ 
tember  ! — Ed.] 
Successful  Freesia  Culture. 
The  other  day  when  looking  round  the  gardens  at  Basing  Park, 
.Alton,  I  saw  the  finest  batch  of  Freesias  I  have  ever  seen.  The'-e 
were  plants  of  the  variety  F.  refracta  alba.  They  had  been 
po-tted,  ten  or  twelve  bulbs  in  32-pots,  and  were  growing  in  two 
batches ;  the  earlie-.st  were  in  full  beauty  and  arranged  in  the 
conservatory.  Several  of  the  spikes  were-  carrying  ten  blooms, 
while  on  one  I  counted  eleven  blooms,  and  the  majority  of  the 
main  racemes  had  two-  other  minor  spikes,  as  it  w’ere,  branching 
out  from  the  stem,  each  of  which  bore  about  .six  blooms,  making, 
on  an  average  twenty-two  flowers  from  each  individual  bulb. 
This  is  almo.st  a  record,  surely?  The  later  batch  were  just  ex¬ 
panding  their  flowers  in  a  cool  house,  and  gave  promise  of 
equalling  tho.se  in  the  conservatorj\  The  whole  of  the  above 
(which  comprised  about  100  pots  in  all)  were  about  2ft  in  height 
without  being  “drawn”  in  the  least,  and  reflected  the  highe.st 
credit  upon  the  gardener  at  Basing,  Mr.  T.  Dowie,  and  his 
assi.stants.  It  would  no  doubt  benefit  numerous  readers  of  your 
liopular  journal  if  Mr.  Dowie  would  kindly  record  Ids  treatment 
of  these  useful  flowers,  which  he  cultivates  so  well.— Wilmot  H. 
Yates. 
Size  of  Chrysanthemum  Blooms— A  Comparison. 
In  these  days  of  immense  size  in  Chrysanthemum  blooms, 
e.specially  in  the  Japanese  .section,  owing  mainly  to  the  increase 
in  numbers  and  improvement  in  the  varieties,  when  nothing  le.ss 
than  an  Sin  flower  is  thought  worthy  of  a  place  on  an  exhibition 
stand,  a  glance  at  the  list  of  varieties  here  given  may  prove 
interesting,  as  .showing  the  great  strides  made  in  this  branch 
of  floriculture.  Looking  back  twenty-three  years,  the  twenty- 
four  varieties  wdiich  I  name  as  in  vogue  then,  include  but 
four  Japanc.se.  Elaine  was  introduced  but  seven  years  earlier; 
the  Daimio,  which  was  a  new  name  for  Erectum  s-uperbum,  was 
also  of  recent  introduction.  Fair  Maid  of  Guern.sey  was  also 
sent  out  by  Downton  in  1872.  The  Cossack  was  an  earlier  intro¬ 
duction,  but  of  poor  quality  for  exhibition.  With  the  exception 
of  James  Salter,  Peter  the  Great,  and  Baronne  de  Prailley,  the 
above  w'e-re  about  the  extent  of  the  Japanese  section  at  that 
time.  That  year  and  the  year  following  were  the  forerunners 
of  many  newer  introductions  in  that  section,  i.e.,  Hiver  Fleuri, 
Bouquet  Fait,  Bertier  Rendatler,  and  Mdlle.  Lacroix.  I  think, 
however,  the  great  spur  w-as  given  to  Japane.se  varieties  when 
Messrs.  Veitoh  introduced  Thunberg  and  Comte  de  Germiny  the 
year  following. 
Although  Madame  Clemence  Audiguier  was  sent  out  by 
Marrouch  in  1879,  it  really  did  not  become  popular  until  two 
years  after.  I  have  doubts  even  at  the  present  moment,  which 
are  shared  by  others,  that,  in  .spite  of  the  many  sorts  seen  since 
that  era,  wdiether  any  have  been  superior  to  that  charming 
variety.  The  peculiar  loose  twist,  imitating  so  well  loose  barsket 
work,  and  the  satiny  sheen  which  w’ell-grown  blooms  always 
carried,  rendered  it  an  unique  flow’er.  The  fearful  height — 14ft 
— which  this  variety  attained  rendered  it  unacceptable  to  so 
many.  When  treated  in  a  natural  manner  the  initial  growth 
from  the  cutting  to  the  first  natural  break  was  8ft! 
The  names  given  below  are  tho.se  of  the  first  stand  of  blooms 
I  staged,  and  at  that  time  thought  them  remarkably  good!  As 
a  comparison  for  present  day  cultivators,  I  attach  the  diameter 
of  each :  — 
IiK'lies 
Sir  Stafford  Carey  ..  ..4 
Klaine . .s 
The  Cossack . H 
Empress  of  India  ..  ..  4^ 
The  D.aiinio . G 
Queen  of  England  ..  ..  4i 
Fair  Maid  of  Guernsey  . .  ft 
Golden  Beverley  . .  . .  s| 
Novelty  ..  . 4' 
Bronze  .Tardin  des  Plantes.  4§ 
White  Venus . 4 
Alfred  Sail er  . .  . .  . .  4 
Edwin  Molynedx. 
.Tardin  des  Plantes  .. 
Inches 
..  3“ 
Pink  Venus  . 
..  4 
General  Bainbripge  .. 
..  8i 
Mrs.  Haliburton 
..  3.t 
Prince  Alfred  .. 
Gloria  Mundi  .. 
..  33 
Mrs.  G.  Bundle 
, .  Si 
George  Glenny 
..  si 
Venus 
Mrs.  Dixon 
Nil  Desperanclum 
..  4 
