May  16,  1901 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COT'J AGE  GARDENER. 
417 
A  subject  not  often  touched  upon  in  the  Journal  of  Horticultur  e,  but 
■which  might  interest  some  readers,  is  a  notice  of  cider  Apples.  For 
instance,  there  have  been  many  Norman-French  sorts  introduced  by 
ibe  nurseries,  among  them  being  Argile  Grise,  Bramtot,  Baden-de- 
Paris,  Hedaille  d’Or,  Rouge  Brugese,  and  an  analysis  of  the  juice  is 
given  in  the  “  Herefordshire  Pomona,”  published  in  1886.  These  Apples, 
when  grown  in  France,  seem  to  possess  great  qualities  for  making 
cider.  Now,  a  question  that  would  interest  many  is,  Whether  the  juice 
of  these  Apples  analysed  as  well  when  grown  in  Herefordshire  as  when 
grown  in  Normandy  ? — Constant  Subscriber. 
Pear  Easter  Beurre. 
I  am  greatly  interested  in  most  matters  discussed  in  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture,  and  for  some  time  I  have  paid  particular  notice  to  the 
various  notes  on  late  keeping  Pears,  and  have  been  surprised  that  Easter 
Beurre  has  been  passed  over.  One  writer  stated  that  Easter  Beurre  is 
a  misleading  title,  and  if  named  Christmas  Beurre  would  oonvey  a  truer 
tale.  This  is  hardly  correct,  as  I  am  now,  April  23rd,  enclosing  two 
fruits  for  the  Editor’s  inspection.  This  tree  produced  a  large  crop  of 
fruit  last  year,  and,  what  is  rather  strange  for  so  late  a  variety,  it  is 
now  literally  covered  with  expanded  blossoms. — W.  B. 
[The  fruits  were  very  fair  indeed  ;  a  trifle  shrivelled,  and  somewhat 
lacking  in  “  sugariness,”  but  still  good  eating  samples  for  present-time 
home-grown  Pears.  The  variety  was  raised  in  France,  and  is  known 
under  twenty  French  synonyms.  It  is  certainly  a  dessert  Pear  of  the 
highest  merit,  and  is  known  to  all  cultivators. — Ed.] 
- «*#.. - 
Early  Potatoes. 
“  W.  B.’s  ”  friendly  and  most  reasonable  criticism  of  my  Potato 
notes  was  very  pleasant  to  me.  Indeed,  that  is  why  I  like  this  “  our 
reader’s  page  ”  almost  the  best  in  the  Journal,  except  for  the  murder¬ 
ously  combative  appearance  of  the  illustrative  characters  at  the  top. 
We  none  of  us  want  to  slash  and  slay  those  whom  we  oontend  with  ; 
our  profession  is  more  peaceful  than  that.  All  we  desire  is  to  get 
at  the  truth  of  a  thing.  That  is  “  W.  B.’s  ”  contention.  You  are  right, 
11  W.  B  ,”  very  few  of  us  have  too  much  ground  for  the  demands  made 
upon  us.  That  is  my  case  exactly,  for — and  I  ought  to  have  brought 
this  out  more  forcibly  than  I  did — the  large  distanoe  of  the  rows  apart 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  whole  of  my  early  and  second  early  Potato 
ground  has  to  carry  a  second  crop  in  the  shape  of  Cauliflowers, 
Brussels  Sprouts,  Broccoli,  Winter  Greens,  &c.  ;  therefore  the  second 
early  and  main  crop  of  Potatoes  all  get  3  feet — and  indeed  3  feet 
6  inches  would  not  be  too  much  in  growing  seasons — between  the  rows, 
and  the  smaller  topped  ones  2  feet  and  2  feet  6  inches  ;  “  W.  B.’’  and  I 
therefore  agree  in  this  as  well  as  on  other  points.  Magnums  and 
UjJ!to-Dates  are  grown  on  the  farm,  and  do  not  come  under  my 
management,  though  it  often  appears  to  me  that  a  little  more  room 
between  the  rows  there  would  be  an  improvement,  only  farm  land  does 
not  run  them  to  top  so  much  as  the  richer  and  more  deeply  cultivated 
garden  ground  does. — N.  H.  P. 
Scarcity  of  Journeyman  Gardeners. 
I  should  like  to  have  a  word  or  two  with  “  H.  G.  C.”  respecting  his 
article  on  page  373.  I  cannot  altogether  agree  with  him,  especially 
when  he  coolly  remarks,  If  we  want  more  wages  we  must  throw  up 
the  profession,  and  seek  something  with  better  remuneration.  No, 
“  H.  G.  C.,”  I  am  afraid  your  suggestion  will  meet  with  very  little 
approval,  or  at  least  from  those  of  us  who  have  spent  the  greater  part 
of  our  lives  at  it.  I,  for  one,  do  not  feel  at  all  disposed  to  throw  it 
up  without  making  an  effort  to  ascertain  if  there  is  not  a  means  of 
improving  our  pay.  I  do  not  at  all  relish  wasting  fifteen  years  of  hard 
work  and  study,  and  taking  up  something  else,  of  which  I  know 
nothing,  nor  am  interested  in.  I  feel  sure  there  are  many,  like 
myself,  that  have  a  love  for  the  craft,  and  who  think  as  I  do,  and 
earnestly  weloome  a  suggestion  more  worthy  of  our  profession  than  to 
turn  tail.  I  am  of  opinion,  if  the  head  gardeners  would  amalgamate, 
and  take  np  the  subject  in  real  earnest,  and  approach  their  respective 
employers,  the  time  is  not  far  off  when  we  shall  be  advancing  with  the 
rest  of  the  working  community.  Just  a  few  words  more,  in  conclusion. 
Let  eaoh  one  of  us  do  what  we  can  to  improve  our  respective  lots ;  but, 
above  all,  let  us  stick  to  our  guns,  like  Britons.  I  feel  quite  convinced 
some  day  we  shall  be  reaping  the  benefit.— G.  H.  Cook. 
A  Problem  in  Heating  Solved. 
In  your  issue  of  May  2nd,  page  378,  is  an  article  under  the  above 
heading  by  “  H.  D.”  I  would  assure  him  that  although  his  discovery 
may  be  new  to  him,  and  that  Mr.  T.  Marsh  may  think  he  has  adopted 
a  new  plan,  that  it  is  a  plan  which  has  been  tried,  alas  !  many,  many 
times,  and  has  always  signally  failed.  The  result  has  been  that  an 
alteration  has  had  to  be  effected  before  the  heating  has  been  satis¬ 
factory.  If  Mr.  T.  Marsh  had  not  put  in  the  two  air  taps  he  could 
not  even  have  filled  the  pipes,  but  for  the  water  to  circulate  down  one 
side  and  up  the  other  it  never  will.  Perhaps  with  very  great  boiler 
power,  sufficient  to  boil  the  water,  he  may  sucoeed  in  forcing  it  through, 
but  that  is  not  circulation,  and  I  should  not  like  to  be  responsible  for 
the  heating.  My  advice  to  anyone  engaged  in  hot-water  heating  is  not 
to  adopt  it  if  he  wants  a  satisfactorily  heated  house. — Aqua. 
A  Horticultural  Hall. 
The  meeting  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  the  7th  inst.  was  one  of  the  best 
I  have  seen  there,  packed  from  one  end  of  the  building  to  the  other 
with  groups  of  beautiful  plants,  embracing  all  the  floral  gems  of  spring, 
both  indoors  and  out.  Hardy  plants,  Roses,  greenhouse  florists’  flowers, 
and  Orchids  were  there  in  great  variety,  and  a  fine  collection  of  Apples 
from  a  well-known  firm,  all  went  to  show  what  a  lively  interest  is  taken 
in  one  of  the  healthiest  and  pleasantest  occupations  of  the  present  age. 
The  one  thing  that  struck  me  most  about  this  show  was  what  a  miserable 
place  to  hold  it  in,  dingy  and  cold-looking,  with  no  accommodation,  or 
room  enough  to  hold  tbe  plants,  two  of  the  collections  having  to  be 
staged  behind  the  scene,  or  that  end  of  the  building  which  is  curtained 
off  for  the  use  of  the  committees,  and  one  of  these  had  to  sit  and  do 
business  in  the  body  of  hall.  With  these  facts  before  us  the  thought 
crossed  my  mind,  Surely  it  is  time  we  had  the  horticultural  hall,  of 
which  we  heard  a  good  deal  some  time  ago,  but  whioh  seems  to  b  i 
almost  forgotten  now.  Judging  from  the  fact  that  this  meeting  was 
a  truly  representive  one,  being  attended  by  all  classes  interested  in 
horticulture,  it  is  surprising  that  the  finest  city  in  the  world,  with  a 
population  of  four  and  a  half  millions  of  people,  has  not  got  a  better 
place  to  offer  the  R.H.S.  wherein  to  hold  its  flower  shows  and  meetings’ 
— Visitor. 
Young  Gardeners’  Pay. 
I  am  glad  to  see  that  a  word  or  two  from  “An  Old  Boy”  (words 
wisely  spoken)  has  put  this  vexed  question  to  rights.  The  first 
mention  of  the  matter  was  the  grievance  of  young  men  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-two  years  of  age,  who  were  only  getting  from  14s.  to  18s. 
per  week  with  bothy.  To  me  the  idea  was  outrageous.  Here  were 
young  men  learning  one  of  the  finest  professions  in  the  world,  and 
grumbling  at  pay  like  this  !  L9t  me  tell  my  experience.  My  son, 
eighteen  years  old,  is  in  the  fitting  shop  of  certain  steel  works.  He 
has  received  a  public  school  education,  and  is,  I  believe,  a  lad  of 
intelligence.  His  wages  are  7s.  6d.  per  week  ;  hours  6  a.m.  to  5.30  p.m. 
(ten  minutes  late  means  docked  pay).  He  can  be  called  upon  to  work 
Sundays,  holidays,  or  overtime.  He  worked  the  other  day  from  Friday 
at  6  a.m.  till  noon  Saturday,  and  not  among  pleasant  surroundings. 
He  has  to  do  far  dirtier  work  than  any  gardener  (worse  than  stoking), 
and  has  no  lodgings  provided.  The  pay  for  overtime  is  not 
likely  to  make  him  independent  soon.  Just  compare  a  young  gardener’s 
lot  with  his;  I,  at  least,  know  who  has  the  best  of  it.  It  makes  me 
vexed  to  hear  of  suoh  purely  imaginary  grievances.  I  cannot,  for  the 
life  of  me,  see  under  what  circumstances  the  khaki  gentleman  gets 
better  paid  ;  the  Army  is  not  generally  the  road  to  afflience.  My  son 
is  expected  to  attend  classes  for  instruction  in  machine  construction  at 
least  two  nights  a  week,  and  three  nights  are  taken  up  in  preparation. — F. 
Grape  Gros  Maroc. 
Your  correspondent,  “  R.  M.,”  on  page  395,  asks,  Is  Grape  Gros 
Maroc  worth  growing?  Yes;  to  the  exhibitor  of  Grapes  it  is 
indispensable.  The  large  berries  and  bunches,  and  the  deep  bloom  these 
invariably  carry,  secure  for  the  Grape  a  place  amongst  the  best  black 
varieties  for  exhibition.  This  is  proved  every  year  by  its  being  shown 
so  largely  both  in  collection  and  single  dish  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
and  other  large  fruit  shows,  but  is  not  worth  growing  to  the  small 
cultivator  for  home  consumption  only,  if  he  excludes  Black  Hamburgh, 
Madresfield  Court,  Black  Alicante,  Appley  Towers,  or  Gros  Colman  to 
give  Gros  Maroc  a  place,  all  of  which  are  before  Gros  Maroc  in  flavour 
and  keeping  qualities,  with  the  exception  of  Madresfield  Court,  which  is 
not  a  late  keeping  Grape.  Gros  Maroc  cannot  be  kept  after 
November  1st  without  shrivelling,  despite  its  thick  skin,  whereas  the 
other  varieties  named  can  be  had  n  good  condition  at  Christmas. 
With  me  it  is  a  free  bearer,  being  pruned  on  the  spur  system,  but  is  a 
Vine  that  requires  much  space;  2  feet  each  side  of  the  main  rod  is 
not  too  great,  it  having  the  largest  leaves  of  any  Vine  I  grow.  As 
this  is  only  “  R.  M.’s  ”  first  experience  of  it,  I  would  advise  him  to  give 
it  another  trial,  keeping  the  laterals  well  stopped  and  fully  exposed 
