3J0 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  4,  19('0. 
Propagating:  Pansies. — The  Pansy  is  a  florist’s  flower  that  has 
been  brought  to  perfection  by  care  and  culture ;  but  without  all  that 
particular  attention,  which  every  gardener  cannot  bestow,  it  is  a  very 
beautiful  and  lively  flower  for  the  border,  and  blooms  so  long  that  it 
is  worth  while  to  increase  it  as  much  as  possible.  During  this  month 
slips  and  cuttings  may  still  be  taken,  but  let  damp  weather  be  chosen 
for  this  process,  or  else  water  and  shade  are  very  requisite.  A  few 
small  beds  entirely  occupied  with  various  coloured  Pansies,  dottel 
about  upon  a  lawn,  have  a  rich  and  lovely  effect,  and  their  scent,  though 
slight,  is  very  agreeable.  I  strongly  recommend  everyone  to  procure 
as  many  slips  of  these  plants  as  possible  of  every  hue,  and  not  to  be 
disheartened  if  the  flowers  are  not  so  fine  or  perfect  as  those  of  his  or 
her  neighbours.  They  will  look  gay  and  bright,  and  last  as  long  as  any 
cf  the  choicer  varieties. — J.  F. 
Autumn  Cauliflowers. — Judging  by  what  is  seen  in  the  shops’ 
and  on  barrows,  stalls,  and  in  the  town  streets.  Autumn  Gianc 
Caul. flowers  should  be  wonderfully  abundant.  But  even  stronger 
evidence  may  be  found  in  the  huge  breadths  of  these  products  seen  in 
market  fields,  where  the  masses  show  what  a  supply  is  to  hand.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  many  breadths  have  been  planted  late,  otherwise 
the  general  stocks  will  be  in  and  over  before  the  end  of  October. 
Last  year,  because  dry  weather  delayed  growth,  we  had  a  plentiful 
supply  of  white  heads  up  to  Christmas.  Certainly  there  should  be  no 
lack  of  other  winter  greens  long  after  Cauliflowers  are  over,  but  none 
of  those  equal  in  excellence  good  firm  Cauliflowers.  What  a  gain 
to  the  people  as  an  article  of  food  has  been  this  grand  vegetable,  the 
Autumn  Giant.  The  raiser,  whoever  he  may  have  been,  merits  as  fine 
a  statue  as  any  military  hero. — Obsekver. 
Storing  Potatoes. — Great  care  should  be  taken  in  storing  Potatoes. 
Fermentation  must  either  be  avoided  or  provided  for,  that  is  to  say,  an 
escape  for  the  damp  air,  which  is  sure  to  be  generated.  Those  who 
possess  outhouses  or  sheds  will  do  well  to  spread  the  Potatoes  over  the 
floor  about  four  or  five  deep,  covering  them  with  straw  or  old  cloths  in 
order  to  prevent  greening.  The  latter  advice  must  be  particularly 
attended  to,  and  the  place  should  be  kept,  as  dark  as  possible ;  no 
Potatoes  will  long  retain  their  fitness  for  the  table  if  exposed  too  freely 
to  the  air  and  the  light.  Potatoes  should  be  taken  up  when  dry  and 
instanily  removed  and  covered  up  from  the  air.  All  Potatoes  for  seed 
should  be  selected  at  taking  up  time  and  kept  from  the  common  stock. 
Any  outhouse  floor  will  do  for  them,  light  need  not  be  excluded,  and 
they  will  lie,  if  needs  be,  6  inches  deep  for  many  weeks.  A  shed  or 
room  on  the  north  side  of  the  building  is  best  for  them. — E.  R. 
Apple  Chatley’s  Kernel. — In  the  Apple  plantation  at  Chiswick 
this  year  is  a  very  little  known  variety  named  Chatley’s  Kernel  that  is 
on  quite  a  small  tree  some  three  years  planted  carrying  a  heavy  crop 
of  undoubtedly  fine  finite.  This  variety  is  so  little  known  that  it  has 
not  found  its  way  into  the  latest  edition  of  the  “Fruit  Manual,”  and 
into  very  few  trade  lists.  I  note  that  Mr.  Buuyard  in  his  well-known 
book  just  refers  to  the  variety  as  a  desirable  late  fruit  which  must  be 
left  on  the  tree  as  late  as  possible  to  perfect  growth.  How  far  that 
may  be  needful  I  do  not  know,  but  it  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  all  late 
Apples  keep  best  the  longer  they  are  allowed  to  hang  on  the  trees  in 
October.  Mr.  Bunyard  describes  its  season  as  from  February  to  May. 
Mr.  S.  T.  Wright  mentions  that  it  keeps  almost  till  Apples  come  again. 
If  that  be  so  it  rather  leads  to  the  inference  that  it  is  more  suited  for 
cooking,  like  the  Old  French  Crab  or  Norfolk  Beefing,  than  for  the 
table,  yet  it  is  classed  as  a  dessert  variety,  and  undoubtedly  it  bears 
most  resemblance  to  a  dessert  sample,  yet  the  fruits  are  of  medium 
size.  The  one  I  measured,  a  fair  representative  specimen,  was  just 
3  inches  in  diameter  and  2J  inches  deep,  the  form  being  very  much 
that  of  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin.  Stalk,  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long, 
inserted  in  a  cavity  one-third  of  an  inch  deep.  Eye,  small,  and 
partially  closed,  with  small  pointed  segments.  Skin,  greenish,  much 
flushed  nearly  all  over  with  red,  which  is  somewhat  streaked  on  the 
shaded  side,  and  is  dotted  all  over  with  tiny  russetty  spots.  The 
fruits  are  distinct  in  appearance  and  easily  recognisable.  There  are 
no  ribs. — A.  D. 
Coir. — This  is  the  trade  designation  for  a  manufactured  product 
of  the  Cocoa-nut  Palm.  The  part  of  the  plant  used  for  making  coir 
is  the  fibrous  husk,  which  is  reckoned  amongst  the  less  noteworthy 
fibres.  Its  commercial  importance  must  not,  however,  be  undervalupd, 
as  the  annual  trade  returns  show  a  steady  increase  of  the  product.. 
In  India  the  fibre  is  extensively  utilised  for  cordage,  and  it  is  likewise 
used  for  brooms  and  brushes.  But  its  chief  nse  is  for  carpet  matting, 
and  some  of  the  finest  fibres  have  been  employed  to  make  stair 
carpets.  The  fruit  of  the  Cocos  nucifera  likewise  yields  an  oil 
technically  termed  copra  oil ;  at  present  its  chief  economic  importanco 
is  as  an  agent  employed  in  the  soap  and  allied  factories. —  A.  O’N. 
A  Iiondon  Botanical  Scliool.  —  Professor  F.  W.  Oliver,  in 
delivering  the  introductory  lecture  to  the  new  session  at  University 
College  on  Tuesday,  dealt  with  the  importance  of  the  science  of  bptany 
in  connection  with  its  relation  to  medical  training,  and  announced  amid 
applause  that  London  would  shortly  possess  a  Botanical  Institute- 
similar  to  those  already  existing  in  Glasgow,  Cambridge,  and  Liverpool, 
and  which  were  to  be  met  with  in  most  of  the  important  cities  on  the^ 
Continent.  He  hoped  in  the  near  future  to  see  a  school  of  botany 
under  university  control  in  full  working  order  at  Regent’s  Park  ;  and 
although  the  work  t  f  founding  and  maintaining  an  institute  would  be 
costly,  this  was  a  difiiculty  which  he  thought  would  be  satisfactorily 
grappled  with. 
Flowers  and  Berries. — Among  the  gay  plants  of  summer  still 
abloom  in  many  places  is  the  G  'Iden  Rod.  It  grows  in  abundance  on- 
the  railway  embankments,  and  also  by  the  turfy  roadsides  and  on  dry 
heaths  and  wild  places.  The  Golden  Rod  at  a  distance  may  be  confused 
with  the  Ragwort  (which  also  lingers  still),  from  which,  however,  it  is 
quite  distinct.  Another  brilliant  jellow  flower  to  be  seen  now  is  that 
of  the  dwarf  Furze.  It  is  as  bright  as  the  Broom  of  midsummer,  and 
not  less  welcome.  The  hedges  are  covered  with  berries  this  autumn.  I 
never  recollect  seeing  a  greater  piofusion.  Hips  and  Haws  and 
Gueldres  Rose  and  Wayfaring  Tree  berries  and  purple  Sloes  are  to  be 
seen  in  thousands  on  every  hedge.  Wiiat  a  winter  feast  for  the  birds 
The  old  belief  still  prevails  among  the  villagers  that  an  abundance  of 
berries  means  a  hard  winter. 
Siberian  Crabs. — These  are  good  for  planting  in  mixed  shrubberies 
or  for  single  specimens  on  lawns,  and  when  in  bloom  will  vie  with  the 
Apple  or  Pear  for  beauty.  There  is  a  double-blossomed  variety  that 
blooms  the  end  of  May  or  first  half  of  June  (according  to  season)  very 
similar  in  colour  to  the  majority  of  Apple  blossom,  but  being  double  it 
travels  well,  and  is  useful  as  an  auxiliary  in  cut-flower  furnishing.  It 
has  a  good  crop  of  fruit  this  year  as  well,  but  small — not  much  larger 
than  Hawthorn  berries.  The  scarlet  Cherry-fruited  kind  (Pyrus 
cerasifera)  is  very  ornamental,  and  is  highly  prized  by  some  as  a 
preserve.  But  the  most  ornamental  to  my  knowledge  of  all,  in  my 
estimation,  is  a  yellow-fruited  kind,  with  long  stalks,  hanging  on  the 
trees  in  bunches,  and  singly.  The  fiuit  is  as  large  as  the  Golden 
Pippin,  but  of  a  very  bright  yellow.  This  variety,  I  think,  is  not  very 
Cestrum  aurantlacum.  —  This  is  one  of  the  sweetest  and 
handsomest  plants  for  the  pillars  of  greenhouses  or  conservatories ; 
but  it  will  not  flower  without  plenty  of  air  and  light.  It  blooms  most 
freely  if  planted  in  a  compost  of  turfy  loam  two-thirds,  leaf  mould  one- 
third,  and  sharp  sand  one-sixih,  either  in  a  greenhouse  border  or  in  a 
pot.  It  may  be  trained  to  a  pillar,  roof,  or  wall,  its  shoots  being 
thinned  so  as  to  have  plenty  of  air  and  light,  and  no  creepers  or  other 
plants  should  shade  it.  If  thus  treated  it  will  flower  freely  in  autumn 
and  winter.  The  roots  should  be  rather  cramped  or  confined.  Do  not 
stop  the  shoots,  for  it  blooms  from  their  points;  keep  it  well  supplied 
with  water,  and  affoid  occasional  applications  of  liquid  manure  at 
intervals,  especially  if  the  rout  room  be  small,  not  only  when  it  is 
growing,  but  flowering.  After  blooming,  keep  the  plant  dry  for  a  month 
or  six  weeks,  then  prune  it  rather  closely  ;  and,  when  the  new  shoots 
appear,  thin  out  the  weakest,  top-dressing  with  rich  soil  if  in  a  border, 
or  repotting  if  it  is  in  a  pot.  Afterwards  keep  rather  clo-te  and  moist, 
also  shaded  for  a  few  days  until  the  roots  are  working  in  the  fresh  soil. 
Keep  it  well  supplied  with  water,  and  encourage  growth  by  frequent 
syringing;  then  lessen  the  supply  of  water,  but  not  so  as  to  cause  the 
leaves  to  turn  yellow  and  fall  ;  ex  'ose  fully  to  air  and  light,  and  you 
will  find  the  shoots  thicken  at  their  points.  When  the  shoots  commence 
to  show  bloom,  water  freely,  and  afford  a  supply  of  liquid  manure  on  e 
a  week. — C.  T. 
