October  11,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
335 
Rose  Sombreuil. 
There  are  some  hardy  old  Roses  that  should  not  be  lost  sight  of,  and 
one  of  these  is  Sombreuil.  Although  not  by  any  means  an  exhibition 
variety,  it  is  worth  growing  for  its  pure  white  flowers  in  autumn. 
Vigorous  in  growth,  perfectly  hardy,  and  mildew  proof,  it  deserves  a 
place  in  every  garden.  I  have  been  cutting  lovely  blooms  to-day 
(October  1st),  hence  my  note. — J.  T.  Strange,  Aldermaston. 
The  Hang'ed  Maij, 
Perhaps  there  are  some  readers  of  the  Journal  who  may  not  be 
aware  that  the  Orchid  mentioned  on  page  272  is  a  British  plant.  Aceras 
anthropophora  is  not  so  rare  a  plant  as  several  of  our  native  Orchids ; 
in  the  eighth  edition  of  the  London  Catalogue  it  is  recorded  from 
seventeen  counties.  I  accidentally  came  across  this  interesting  Orchid 
several  years  since  at  a  village  named  Birnack  in  Northants.  Near  this 
village  are  old  stone  quarries,  called  by  the  people  in  the  neighbourhood 
“  hills  and  holes,”  and  it  is  said  the  stones  for  building  the  cathedrals  at 
Peterborough  and  Ely  were  obtained  from  these  quarries.  I  was  in 
search  of  Anemone  pulsatilla,  which  grew  very  freely  here  at  that  time. 
While  looking  for  this  plant  I  also  found  the  “  Hanged  Man.”  It  is 
rather  a  small  plant,  growing  about  6  or  8  inches  high,  with  a  tuberous 
root,  and  dull  yellowish  green  flowers.  Two  other  limestone  plants 
were  collected  at  the  same  time.  Astragalus  hypoglottis  and  Hippocrepis 
comosa  ;  both  are  pretty  little  creeping  plants,  the  former  having  purple 
Pea-like  flowers,  and  the  latter  yellow  flowers,  resembling  the  common 
Lotus  or  Bird’s-foot  Trefoil. — J.  S.  Upex. 
- - 
Exliibition  Groups  of  Plaijts  Arranged  for  Effect. 
Beautiful  and  attractive  as  are  the  groups  of  miscellaneous  plants 
arranged  for  effect  at  some  of  our  leading  exhibitions,  it  has  occurred 
to  me  that  by  way  of  variety  and  contrast  groups  composed  of  Perns, 
Selaginellas,  and  Lycopodiums  would  prove  a  pleasing  variety,  and  call 
for  much  skill  in  setting  out.  For  instance,  as  a  central  plant  one  of  the 
Tree  Ferns  might  be  introduced,  supplemented  with  other  strong-growing 
Ferns  around  its  base  and  at  the  corners  of  the  design,  according  to  taste 
in  arrangement ;  water  or  rockery  would  also  add  to  the  effect.  I  know 
of  more  than  one  garden  whose  exotic  Ferns  are  a  feature,  and 
BufSciently  abundant  to  make  excellent  designs.  As  the  time  is 
approaching  for  the  formulating  of  schedules  for  next  year’s  shows,  I 
have  deemed  it  opportune,  through  the  medium  of  the  Journal,  to 
recommend  the  idea  in  question  to  committees  of  horticultural 
societies. — G. 
[Our  correspondent  is  apparently  unaware  that  groups  of  Perns  have 
been  a  feature  of  the  Brighton  summer  shows  for  some  time  ;  they  are 
very  beautiful  indeed  when  the  plants  are  judiciously  selected  and 
arranged.] 
Colonr  of  Fruit. 
In  reference  to  this  subject  I  should  like  to  suggest  that  there  is  not 
so  much  vagueness  in  the  situation  as  would  appear  from  the  observations 
made  by  Mr.  Bunyard  and  Mr.  Raillem  in  your  recent  issues.  In 
consequence  of  heat  and  drought  raising  the  temperature  of  the  soil  so 
many  degrees  over  the  normal,  nitrification  is  greatly  promoted.  The 
micro-organisms  are  the  sole  agents  employed  by  Nature  in  oxidising — 
viz.,  breaking  down  into  simpler  forms  all  the  organic  debris  in  the  world 
until  reduced  to  such  substances  as  nitrates,  ammonia,  carbonic  acid  and 
water,  which  can  be  assimilated  by  plants.  Nitrates  promote  leaf 
development  and  sappy  growth  of  wood,  and  retard  maturation  of  fruit. 
The  advent  of  rain  re-dresses  the  balance,  cools  the  soil,  and  indirectly 
colours  the  fruit.  The  Rothamstead  experiments  and  analyses  have 
proved  that  the  soil  is  richest  in  nitrates  after  a  period  of  smallest 
percolation  from  July  to  September. 
The  fruit  shown  at  the  Crystal  Palace  in  1898  was  exceptionally 
green  as  regards  Apples.  Rain  began  to  fall  about  the  opening  of  the 
exhibition,  when  all  the  fruit  had  been  gathered.  Last  year  rain  fell 
abundantly  a  month  earlier ;  the  result  was  a  show  rich  in  colour.  This 
year  rain  fell  in  August,  apparently  somewhat  too  early,  and  September 
was  remarkably  dry  and  neutralised  the  August  rains,  so  that  colour  in 
last  week’s  show  was  again  absent  on  the  whole. — H.  H.  Raschen, 
Sidcu}) 
Vegetable  Culture. 
I  HAVE  recently  been  invited  by  a  gentleman  who  wishes  one  of  his 
sons  to  become  thoroughly  conversant  in  a  practical  way  with  vegetable 
culture  preparatory  to  his  practising  on  English  lines  in  the  West 
Indies,  where  there  is  a  temperate  climate,  to  recommend  him  some 
place  where  the  needful  information  can  be  acquired.  I  feel  I  have  no 
other  course  open  than  to  advise  that  the  lad  be  placed,  if  such  can  be 
found,  in  some  good  private  garden  where  vegetable  culture  is,  if  not  a 
specialty,  at  least  specially  good,  and  where  not  only  is  the  highest 
form  of  culture  seen,  but  where  also  the  forcing,  blanching,  or  other 
needful  treatment  of  such  products  are  well  practised. 
Naturally  one  feels  humiliated  in  having  to  reply  to  a  questioner 
that  we  have  no  national  garden  in  which  what  is  thus  sought  for  can 
be  found.  The  trials  as  conducted  at  Chiswick  are  very  well,  but  they 
give  or  convey  but  a  very  limited  amount  of  practice  or  information 
as  compared  with  what  is  seen  in  a  good  private  vegetable  garden, 
where  all  descriptions  of  vegetables  are  constantly  grown,  and  a  regular 
supply  of  these  products  is  maintained.  Whenever  we  do  have  so 
needful  an  element  in  horticulture  as  a  great  national  practice  garden, 
of  course  we  must  have  the  culture  of  fruits  and  vegetables  presented 
in  the  completest  and  most  comprehensive  sense.  Had  we  such  a 
garden  now  my  reply  to  the  gentleman  in  question  would  have  been  a 
simple  one.  As  it  is  I  have  to  repeat  that  there  is  no  place  for  obtaining 
the  needful  tuition  like  that  of  a  good  private  garden. — A.  D. 
Pear  Beurre  Superfin. 
Herewith  I  send  you  two  fruits  of  this  fine  October  Pear,  to  show 
how  dissimilar  the  skins  are  in  colour.  There  are  several  trees  of  it 
growing  in  the  gardens  here,  some  trained  on  the  walla  and  some  in  the 
open  quarters,  one  trained  as  a  dwarf  bush  on  the  Quince  stock,  and 
one  or  two  as  pyramids  on  the  free  stock.  The  skin  of  the  fruit  of 
those  worked  on  the  free  stock  is  a  pale  green,  smooth,  with  a  few 
russety  spots  on  the  sunny  side,  while  the  fruits  of  the  one  on  the 
Quince  stock  are  a  russety  cinnamon  colour.  There  is  no  doubting  the 
variety.  The  fruits  are  the  same  in  shape,  fleshy  at  the  base  of  the 
stalk,  and  united  to  the  fruit  by  fleshy  folds.  The  foliage  of  the  trees 
is  the  same  in  both  cases,  but  the  growth  of  those  worked  on  the  free 
stock  is  much  more  vigorous,  and  the  trees  more  pyramidal  in  form, 
than  the  one  worked  on  the  Quince.  I  have  observed  the  peculiarity  in 
the  colour  of  the  skin  of  this  variety  for  several  years,  and  I  remember 
one  writer  taking  notice  of  it  in  one  of  the  gardening  papers  (I  am  not 
sure  which)  a  year  ago,  but  there  was  no  cause  given  or  suggested  why 
some  of  the  trees  bore  russety  brown  fruits  and  others  smooth  pale 
green  fruits.  Are  there  two  varieties  of  Beurre  Superfin,  or  is  it  the 
stock  only  that  causes  the  difference  ? — A.  Pettigrew,  Cardiff. 
[Both  the  fruits  sent  are  typical  examples  of  this  excellent  Pear. 
We  have  not  before  seen  a  similar  instance  of  stock  influence.  The 
fruit  from  the  tree  on  the  Pear  stock  is  ripe,  the  one  supported  by  the 
Quince  roots  still  quite  hard,  and  the  colour  of  both  as  described  by 
Mr.  Pettigrew.  We  have  known  the  ripening  somewhat  expedited  by 
the  Quince  and  retarded  by  the  Pear  stock,  but  in  the  examples  before 
us  the  reverse  is  strikingly  manifested.  It  would  be  rather  interesting 
to  establish  grafts  from  each  of  these  trees  on  the  other  and  note  the 
results.  At  present  the  trees  afford,  perhaps,  a  welcome  succession  of 
delicious  Pears.] 
- - 
A  Chat  about  Pears. 
At  this  season,  when  Pears  are  being  ingathered,  some  being  used 
and  others  carefully  stored  for  the  future  months,  comments  on  their 
character  and  varying  merits  are  interesting.  Some  such  have  already 
appeared  from  the  pens  of  “  W.  G.”  and  Messrs.  Raschen  and  Atkins. 
A  remark  from  the  latter,  bearing  on  the  qualities  of  Williams’  Bon 
ChrStien,  Beurre  d’Amanlis  and  Madame  Treyve,  strikes  one  as  being 
curious,  and  shows  clearly  how  both  tastes  of  consumers  as  well  as  the 
character  of  Pears  vary.  Williams’  and  Beurre  Superfin,  Mr.  Atkins 
says,  have  nothing  of  the  finest  quality  in  them,  if  these  have  none, 
where  and  to  what  other  sorts  can  your  correspondent  look  for  quality 
in  their  respective  seasons  ?  My  experience  of  Williams’  is  that  it 
spoils  the  palate  for  others  that  follow  it,  and  in  its  season  others  are 
not  sought  for  while  there  is  a  supply  of  sound  ones  remaining. 
Fondante  d’Automne  and  Beurre  d’Amaclis  are  two  sucoessional  Pears 
that  are  usually  accepted  as  supplying  the  connecting  link  between  the 
summer  and  winter  fruits.  The  French  Duchesse  d’Angouleme  usually 
comes  in  as  soon  as  Williams’  are  over,  and  supply  those  who  have  to 
depend  on  the  markets  with  choice  and  high-priced  fruit.  The  lists 
given  by  Mr.  Atkins,  and  supplemented  by  Mr.  Raschen,  cover  most  of 
the  best  for  the  whole  season’s  use.  Beurre  Capiaumont  is  a  Pear  of 
which  I  have  never  held  a  very  favourable  opinion. 
Easter  Beurre  is  another  Pear  of  doubtful  quality  taken  from 
old  trees,  and  the  large  imported  fruits  arriving  at  Christmas  are  not 
always  conspicuous  for  flavour.  For  October  shooting  parties  Doyenne 
Boussoch  is  a  fine  Pear  ;  quality  does  not,  perhaps,  stand  out  as  its  most 
conspicuous  merit,  but  it  has  a  handsome  shape,  large  size,  and  pretty 
