104 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Aiisnst  2,  1900. 
Strawberries  Sun-scalded. 
B’’  In  your  issue  of  19th  inst.,  paj<e  61,  your  correspondent  “  Gr.”  says 
it  would  be  interesting  to  know  if  anyone  had  any  experience  of  Straw¬ 
berries  scalded  by  the  sun.  Last  year  the  outside  row  of  a  breadth  of 
John  Ruskin  was  so  badly  scalded  that  only  the  smaller  fruit  was 
worth  picking.  This  year  they  have  not  been  so  bad,  but  then  we 
have  had  little  sunshine  in  Scotland.  The  fruit  protected  by  the  leaves 
ripened  very  well,  and  with  no  scalding.  I  had  no  experience  of  the 
variety  John  Ruskin  until  the  previous  year.  I  came  to  the  conclusion, 
rightly  or  wrongly,  it  must  be  the  variety.  In  your  correspondent’s  case 
it  is  Royal  Sovereign.  I  must  be  wrong.  I  have  had  thirty  years’ 
experience,  but  never  saw  the  same  thing  before.  What  do  others  say 
— P.  S.,  Galashiels. 
Open  Peaches. 
Stimulated  by  the  success  attained  by  the  late  Mr.  Blackmore,  of 
Teddington,  who  grew  fine  crops  and  grand  fruit  on  his  American 
Peaches,  we  planted  out  a  number,  and  left  them  to  take  their  chance. 
They  are  now  four  years  old,  and  for  the  first  time  carry  a  fair  crop  of 
fruit,  and  give  promise  of  doing  so  for  years.  Mr.  Blackmore  found 
they  did  not  fruit  freely  until  over  6  feet  high,  probably  because  below 
that  level  the  spring  frosts  had  a  greater  effect  on  them.  The  trees 
require  little  pruning,  and  the  fruits  naturally  benefit  from  a  top¬ 
dressing  and  a  good  watering,  as  they  swell  off.  Even  without  special 
care  the  Teddington  Peaches  made  as  fine  examples  as  the  same 
varieties  on  walls,  and  we  have  seen  thousands  gathered  at  once,  and 
when  graded  they  brought  good  prices,  because  so  well  coloured.  The 
varieties  are  Waterloo  and  Alexander,  while  Hales’  Early  is  twenty  days 
later. 
We  think  any  light  soil  that  contains  lime  would  grow  them  well, 
and  the  stronger  the  trees  are  the  better.  Naturally  they  do  not  require 
so  much  attention  as  wall  trees,  and  are  very  free  from  aphides  and  red 
spider.  The  fruits  carry  a  fine  deep  colour,  and  ripen  a  week  or  ten 
days  later  than  the  same  varieties  on  walls.  This  is  a  late  season.  We 
have  eaten  Alexander  ripe  on  open  walls  July  15th  (now  July  30th), 
when  we  gathered  our  first  from  walls.  Maidstone  had  a  grand  half¬ 
inch  of  rain  on  the  27th. — George  Bunyakd  &  Co. 
“A  Gallapt  Figlit.” 
I  WAS  much  interested  in  reading  “  Spectator’s  ”  account  of  the 
closeness  of  the  contest  for  the  Tea  challenge  trophy  at  the  Crystal 
Palace,  and  heartily  congratulate  Mr.  Burnside  upon  it.  He  is  a  very 
good  exhibitor  of  Tea  Roses,  which  I  should  be  inclined  to  put  as  quite 
“half  the  battle,”  as  well  as  a  good  grower;  and  in  my  opinion,  with 
an  experience  of  twenty  years,  such  an  exhibitor  nascitur  non  fit. 
I  think  I  can  remember  the  time  when  he  was  a  good  exhibitor,  but  not 
so  good  a  grower  ;  now  that  he  is  both,  I  reckon  that  Essex  will  at  all 
events  always  have  a  good  “  look  in  ”  for  the  Tea  trophy.  As  to  his 
few  hundred  plants  against  Mr.  Hill  Gray’s  many  thousands,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  the  value  of  the  “  big  battalions  ”  beyond  a  certain  limit 
has  been  much  overrated.  On  that  I  may  have  something  to  say  before 
long. 
I  also  think  that  too  much  stress  is  often  laid  on  the  value  of 
shelter  (Mr.  Hill  Gray’s  terraces),  and  the  harm  of  exposure  (Mr. 
Burnside  on  a  high  cbff  by  the  sea).  For  first  early  blooms,  often  the 
grandest,  say  toward  the  end  of  May,  commend  me  to  sheltered  spots 
and  south  aspects  ;  but  for  the  Crystal  Palace  show  in  early  July,  let 
me  have  the  openest  spot  that  can  be  found,  especially  on  the  top  of  a 
hill.  For  instance,  I  think  it  will  be  generally  allowed  that  if  he  had 
not  had  to  put  his  best  Tea  blooms  into  his  seventy-two,  it  would  have 
been  difficult  for  anyone,  amateur  or  professional,  to  beat  the  late  Mr. 
B.  R.  Cant  (whose  loss  is  a  personal  one  to  myself)  in  twenty-four 
Teas  at  the  Crystal  Palace  during  the  last  twenty  years.  And  his 
ground  is  at  the  top  of  a  hill,  exp('sed  to  all  the  winds  of  heaven  ;  and, 
moreover,  he  and  most  other  professionals  (I  think  Mr.  Prince  is  an 
exception)  do  not  stake  their  standards,  as  I  should  think  all 
amateurs  do. 
A  thoroughly  exposed  situation  means  healthy  conditions  for  the 
wood  and  the  leaves,  and  more  genuine  maturation  ;  and  I  think  in  such 
a  position  the  plants  are  exposed  to  less  fluctuations  of  temperature. 
Moreover,  it  is  plain  that  they  will  be  less  subject  to  “blight”  of 
animal  or  vegetable  nature,  which  originates  in  germs  borne  by  the 
wind.  Someone,  without  thought,  may  retort,  “  Surely  those  plants 
which  are  most  exposed  to  the  wind  are  thereby  more  liable  to  attack 
from  the  germs  brought  by  the  wind.”  Not  so.  Take  the  analogy  of  a 
stream.  The  current  brings  down  in  flood  time  all  manner  of  debris 
and  rubbish,  sand  and  silt,  and  so  on.  But  where  does  it  deposit  them  ? 
Not  in  the  open  current — the  current  itself  keeps  that  clear  ;  but  in  the 
corners  and  eddies,  and  behind  bushes  and  reeds  and  stones,  where 
there  is  less  current. 
Just  so  with  the  wind.  The  same  wind  which  brings  the  germs 
carries  them  just  as  cleanly  away  where  it  has  a  free  draught — as  in 
drifting  snow,  the  exposed  places  will  be  clear ;  but  drops  them  thickly 
in  all  sheltered  places,  where  they  remain,  and  work  their  wicked  will. 
I  think  most  people  will  find  that  just  now  it  is  their  Roses  in  sheltered 
positions  which  look  worst  of  all. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
- - - 
Our  Journal. 
Cue  Journal  has  this  week  given  us  much  pleasant  reading,  and  a 
great  surprise.  The  highly  interesting  and  complete  report  of  the 
proceedings  connected  with  the  celebration  of  the  bicentenary  of  the 
Sweet  Pea  should  fully  satisfy  the  most  ardent  lover  of  that 
popular  flower,  and  also  increase  the  number  of  enthusiastic  cultivators. 
In  a  neat  paragraph,  prominently  placed,  we  find  the  surprise  in  the 
form  of  an  announcement,  that  2d.  will  in  the  future  be  the  price  of 
our  old  friend.  Though  old  and  trusted  the  Journal  of  Horticulture 
evidently  advances  with  the  times.  Long  may  its  career  of  prosperity 
and  usefulness  be  maintained. — An  Old  Reader. 
Apple  Early  Strawberry. 
I  PROCURED  some  time  ago  an  Apple  called  “  Early  Strawberry,”  which 
I  cannot  find  in  Dr.  Hogg’s  “  Fruit  Manual.”  Can  some  reader  give  me 
any  information  respecting  it  ?  It  has  not  fruited  with  me  yet,  though  it 
has  bloomed.  My  Apples  are  more  specked  this  year  than  last.  In  your 
note  on  page  415  of  November  9th,  1899,  you  thought  that  the  speck 
was  the  bitter  rot,  but  it  is  sweet,  and  seems  to  be  identical  with  the 
sweet  rot  that  is  troubling  the  Canadian  fruit  growers.  I  must  try 
the  spraying  mixture  you  recommend ;  I  was  not  up  here  this  year  to 
use  it  in  time.  I  tried  sulphate  of  iron  in  the  soil  with  no  benefit,  but 
there  may  be  an  improvement  owing  to  its  use  next  year.  We  have  had 
a  splendid  crop  of  Apricots  this  year  ;  they  are  all  over  now.  Plums 
are  a  fair  crop,  while  Apples  and  Peaches  are  poor,  but  Pears  are  a  good 
crop.  Our  rains  are  poor  and  late. — Angus  Campbell,  Mussorrie,  India. 
Cottagers’  Sweet  Peas. 
One  pleasing  result  of  the  boom  in  Sweet  Peas  is  that  a  row  or 
clumps  of  these  flowers  may  be  found  in  almost  every  good  cottage  garden 
and  frequently  on  allotments.  Workers  seem  to  derive  more  of  pleasure 
than  was  formerly  the  case  in  not  only  growing  flowers,  but  also  in 
having  a  bunch  occasionally  to  carry  home.  I  am  not  sure  whether  the 
Sweet  Pea  is  not  far  more  appreciated  by  the  poor,  whose  flowers  are 
few,  than  by  the  rich,  whose  flowers  are  plentiful.  It  is  so  hardy,  so 
easily  grown,  and  when  in  bloom  few  plants  give  more  beautiful 
flowers.  Cottager  growers  like  to  have  collections  of  some  six  or  twelve 
varieties,  and  they  make  by  far  the  best  show,  and  are  much  more 
enduring  when  sown  in  clumps  of  from  nine  to  twelve  seeds  thinly  in 
separate  colours.  In  many  of  our  rural  shows  classes  for  bunches  are 
now  provided,  and  seem  to  be  largely  competed  in.  The  exhibitors 
have  much  to  learn  in  regard  to  showing  and  setting  up,  and  if  the 
collections  that  have  distinct  colours  in  the  bunches,  and  are  neatly  set 
up  in  small  vases  or  glasses,  be  placed  prominently  in  the  awards,  the 
lesson  is  not  lost.  I  met  with  a  schedule  the  other  day  in  which  six 
Sweet  Peas  were  asked  for.  It  was  well  that  the  poor  competitors  had 
fairly  good  sense,  or  they  might  have  put  up  a  bunch  of  six  flowers  only. 
But  whilst  interpretations  differed  materially,  some  at  least  did  put  up 
charming  bunches  of  six  in  diverse  and  distinct  varieties,  and  thus 
taught  the  committee  a  lesson  in  scheduling  classes.  Few  flowers  are 
more  difiioult  to  judge  than  are  Sweet  Peas  when  set  up  as  required 
and  the  flowers  are  of  average  merit.  They  are  so  much  alike.  It  is 
then  only  possible  to  make  satisfactory  awards  when  one  set  of  flowers 
is  fresher  or  seems  to  have  finer  form  than  another. — A.  D. 
