September  20.  1900.  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
269 
Plnm  Depiston's  Superb. 
I  AM  Bending  you  a  freak  in  Nature  which  I  thought  would  be 
interesting  to  the  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  As  you  will 
see  by  the  enclosed  there  are  two  varieties  of  Plums  on  one  spur  ;  the 
variety  is  Denniston’s  Suoerb.  Would  you  state  the  cause  of  the  freak, 
and  if  it  is  of  rare  oocurrer'ce  ?  I  have  not  seen  anything  like  it  before. 
— J.  Nicholson,  Solberge  Gardens,  Northallerton. 
[We  have  not  previously  met  with  a  similar  instance  of  two  distinct 
Plums  being  produced  on  one  spur.  It  is  not  possible  to  state  the  cause 
of  the  freak,  which  is,  of  course,  analogous  to  the  sporting  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  and  other  flowers.  We  print  your  letter  as  being  of  much 
interest,  and  some  amongst  our  experienced  readers  may  have  met  with 
a  parallel  case,  and  will  place  it  on  record  in  our  pages.] 
- f#.* - 
Groups  at  Slirewsbury. 
Your  esteemed  correspondent,  “N.  H.  P.,”  in  his  references  (page 
228)  to  the  decorative  groups  of  plants  at  the  recent  Shrewsbury 
Show,  is  just  a  little  at  sea.  Doubtless  he  had  time  only  to  take  a 
very  hurried  view  of  them,  and  without  his  schedule.  But  bad  he  been 
able  to  refer  to  that  nsetnl  book  of  reference  he  would  have  found  that 
there  were  classes  for  two  diverse  groups,  one  including  foliage  and 
flowering  plants,  the  other  comprising  foliage  only.  Each  of  the  groups 
were  of  30li  feet  area.  They  were  arranged  back  to  back,  so  that  the 
flrst  class  of  groups  faced  to  one  side  of  the  tent,  and  the  other  class 
of  groups  to  the  other  side.  Possibly  he  was  not  alone  in  assuming 
hurriedly  that  the  groups  ran  right  through. — D. 
- «-«M> - 
Ctrtificating  Potatoes. 
Our  good  friend  Mr.  Godfrey  lives  so  remote  from  London  that 
unfortunately  we  are  debaired  from  having  his  vast  experience  with 
Potatoes  to  help  us  on  the  Fruit  Committee  of  the  R.H.S.  Perhaps 
if  he  were  a  member  of  the  Fiuit  Committee  all  its  acts  would  be 
above  criticism  ;  but  as  he  is  not  so,  then  must  that  body  remain 
essentially  mortal,  and  no  mortal  is  perfect.  Yet  I  somehow  think, 
according  to  his  own  showing,  that  if  the  existing  committee  recognises 
the  merits  of  a  good  Potato  now,  and  the  old  body  did  not  do  so  some 
years  ago,  that  so  far  from  the  present  body  being  subject  to  his 
animadversions,  it  is  rather  entitled  to  credit.  Still,  do  what  you  will, 
you  cannot  please  everyone. — A.  D. 
- - 
A  Chat  about  Pears. 
As  “  R.  Atkins”  (page  2(7),  although  presenting  a  good  choice  of 
varieties  of  Pe-irs  under  his  c>re,  seems  desirous  of  adding  thereto,  I 
suggest,  for  September  ripening,  Triomphe  de  Vienne  and  Marguerite 
Marillat,  the  latter  of  such  richness  of  colour  that  few  other  varieties 
can  compete  on  that  s  ore,  although  flavour  is  also  excellent.  Fondante 
d’Automne  would  be  the  next  to  ripen  of  anv  merit,  also  Beurre  Hardy, 
which  is  really  an  October  Pear,  as  is  also  Beurre  Bose,  which  for 
flavour  and  elegance  of  foi  m  has  no  equal  in  the  latter  element,  and  is 
exceeded  by  few  in  the  former. 
As  to  latest  sorts,  from  Christmas  to  Easter,  there  are  Nouvelle 
Fnlvie,  Le  Lectier,  Marie  B^noist,  Passe  Crassane,  Napoleon,  Beurre 
Easter,  none  of  which  can  be  beaten  in  its  season.  ' 
To  commence  the  season  with  Jargonelle  is  fair,  but  does  not  cover 
the  whole  ground,  as  Citron  des  Carmes  is  a  month  earlier,  and  if  not  a 
very  substantial  Pear,  is  a  sensation  as  the  earliest  Pear  fit  to  eat  (from 
the  tree);  Doyenne  d’E  e  and  Beurie  Giffard  should  be  added  for 
relative  earliness. 
I  am  surprised,  seeing  Beurre  d’Amanlis  deprecated  and  Madame 
Treyve  almost  as  much,  with  both  of  which  criticisms  I,  however, 
agree,  that  Beune  Clairgeau  is  tolerated,  which  for  flavour  is  the  least 
desirable  of  all  the  Pt-ais  under  review,  and  which  is  not  improved  by 
its  vulgar  cheek.  Also  Fertility  is  out  of  the  question  among  Pears  of 
merit  of  the  first  section,  and  wo'dd  be  improved  upon  by  substituting 
Beurre  de  I’Assompiion  and  Brockworth  Park  as  Sep  ember  Pears,  and 
Beune  Diel  ai.d  Beune  Bachelier  as  November  Pears,  although  none 
of  these  latter  four  leaches  the  merits  of  those  discussed  eailier. 
A  Pear  that  came  unrer  notice  a  year  or  two  ago,  although  known 
for  some  years  earlier,  is  President  Barabe,  presented  by  Messrs.  Veitch, 
ripens  December,  January,  and  is  to  be  classed  among  the  finest 
section.  Beurre  Capiaumont  and  Trout,  named  by  your  correspondent, 
are  not  of  such  merit  as  to  be  worthy  of  a  place,  whereas  Winter  Nelia 
should  be  missed  on  no  account. — H.  H.  Raschen,  Sidcup,  Kent, 
Cactus  Dahlias  at  tlie  Crystal  Palace. 
Your  list  of  awards  to  these  flowers  at  the  C.P.  had  the  merit  of 
being  singularly  incorrect,  a  merit  which  you  may  blush  to  find 
exalted  into  fame.  No  doubt  ere  now  the  secretary,  Mr.  J.  F.  Hudson, 
will  have  set  you  right.  At  the  Palace,  in  spite  of  there  being 
plenty  of  table  room  elsewhere,  the  seedling  flowers  were  crowded 
into  a  regular  mix.  Apart  from  dispensing  with  the  non-wire 
regulation,  which  is  absurd,  unless  stems  are  made  of  the  first 
importance,  I  hope  another  year  the  seedlings  will  be  placed  on  ample 
table  room  in  a  more  retired  part  of  the  Palace  than  was  the  case  the 
other  day,  and  that  whilst  the  competitive  judging  is  proceeding  the 
seedlings  will  be  in  process  of  adjudication  simultaneously  and  with 
ample  deliberation. — Scrutator. 
Regarding  Mr.  A.  Dean’s  observations  (page  240),  apropos  of  the 
use  of  foliage  in  the  setting  up  of  Cactus  Dahlias  for  exhibition 
purposes,  whilst  agreeing  that  there  is  a  danger  of  overdoing  it,  I 
consider  that  it  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  I  had  a  convincing 
argument  in  its  favour  a  few  days  ago,  when,  passing  through  the 
Market  Hall,  Birmingham,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  Mr.  John 
Pope  in  the  act  of  introducing  between  the  singly  arranged  ‘‘  Cactus  ” 
flowers  on  the  stands  a  sprig  of  about  four  small  leaves  of  the  flower  in 
the  moss,  and  it  served  to  show  up  the  blooms  more  clearly  and 
naturally  than  when  arranged  on  the  moss  merely.  The  Dahlia  foliage 
if  stuck  in  damp  moss  will  keep  as  fresh  as  the  blooms  inserted  in 
tubes  containing  water.  I  am  not  cognisant  of  its  having  been  adopted 
as  yet  at  any  exhibition  of  Dahlias,  and  unquestionably  the  mode  in 
question  is  worthy  of  extended  adoption. — W.  G. 
Under  this  heading  “A.  D.”  makes  some  trenchant  remarks  and 
criticisms  anent  the  National  Dahlia  Show  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  As  a 
grower  of  nearly  all  the  new  Cactus  varieties  I  take  a  deep  interest  in 
the  National  Show,  and  more  especially  in  the  Cactus  section.  Your 
correspom  ent  calls  attention  to  the  class  for  nine  plants  to  be  grown  in 
pots,  which  was  a  complete  failure.  He  does  not,  however,  mention 
the  fact  that  the  class  and  prizes  emanated  from  a  private  source,  and 
the  society  as  a  body  was  not  therefore  responsible  for  its  advent.  I 
quite  agree  with  ”  A.  D.”  that  such  a  class  is  not  required,  and  I  trust 
will  not  be  encouraged  at  future  exhibitions. 
I  think  almost  everyone  will  agree  that  the  competition  for  the 
large  classes  should  be  strictly  confined  to  varieties  in  commerce,  then 
every  grower  would  be  placed  on  the  same  footing,  whereas,  at  the 
present  time,  it  seems  simply  a  race  between  the  raisers.  I  fully 
appreciate  the  evil  pointed  out  by  “  A.  D.”  as  to  the  majority  of  the 
varieties  being  obtainable  only  at  prohibitive  prices,  but  I  think  the 
point  as  to  exhibitors  all  competing  from  the  scratch  the  more  important. 
Again,  several  of  the  new  Cactus  varieties  to  be  seen  at  the  Palace, 
although  beauiiful,  will  never  be  offered  in  commerce.  The  fact  is  the 
past  few  summers  have  enabled  crossing  and  seed  saving  to  be  carried 
to  an  almost  unlimited  extent,  so  that  just  now  we  are  having  a  flood  of 
new  varieties,  some  of  which  are  decided  improvements,  while  others 
are  of  doubtful  value.  The  idea  expressed  by  your  correspondent  as  to 
the  creation  of  separate  classes  for  seedling  varieties  is  undoubtedly  a 
good  one,  and  I  am  quite  sure  there  are  enough  raisers  now  in  the  field 
to  form  a  good  competition.  The  fact  that  a  raiser  would  win  the  prize 
with  his  own  productions  would  form  a  great  incentive  for  him  to 
enter. 
As  to  the  criticism  of  the  judges  from  “  A.  D.’s  ”  point  of  view, 
everyone  must  know  that  where  foliage  dressing  is  allowed  much  will 
depend  on  the  taste  of  the  judges,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  to  lay 
down  nny  hard  and  fast  rules.  I  would  suggest  to  the  committee  of 
the  National  Dahlia  Society  that  in  future  the  necessity  of  f'/llowing 
the  schedule  should  be  impressed  upon  the  judges,  for  some  of  the 
awards  mentioned  in  your  report  were  afterwards  altered,  and  moro 
th  n  one  exhibitor  had  to  be  disqualified  for  not  conforming  to  the 
schedule ;  but  presumably  this  was  done  after  your  reporters  had  passed 
the  c'asses. 
Without  associating  myself  with  the  remarks  as  to  the  wholesale 
disti ibiition  of  cardboard,  or  in  other  words  certificates  of  merit,  I 
should  like  to  say  I  could  not  find  enough  cardboard,  or  rather  cards 
of  ownership,  on  the  numerous  specimens  staged.  8u''ely  this  is  a 
small  matter  that  could  be  carried  out  on  similar  lines  to  those  in 
vogue  at  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  meetings.  I  notice  in  your 
report  of  the  seedlings  gaining  certificates  that  the  owners  have  got 
considerably  mixed,  but  I  suppose  this  is  a  matter  that  will  be  pub 
right  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  exhibitors.  Without  carping,  I  think 
the  present  system  of  staging  the  seedlings  is  little  short,  of  a  scandal ; 
they  aie  all  huddled  together,  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  general 
public  to  view  them  properly,  for  being  exhibited  without  wires  every 
bloom  has  to  be  lifted  to  see  the  form  and  colour.  Surely  this  is  a 
mailer  deserving  a  little  more  attention  on  the  part  of  the  executive!— 
J.  B.  R. 
