The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-04-18 00:00:00

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V ortiruiture.

STRAW BERRIES.

The winter has been severe and the spriog not less
I 80. The plants in all +mei here look well and
ing. The last yeses plintrtions here will all crop. It
is, however' too early to judge of their crowns, which
are not yet developed. I have only four plantations to
crop as annuals, namely, two of Wonderful—hardy, a
great cropper, and the bit supply for the British
Queen; one of La Vineuse, a good, late, and heavy
cropping sort ; and one of Sir J. Paxton, a charming
plant, as yet untried. It was sent to me by Mr.
Turner, with a high character, and was awarded a
certificate in London. It was planted in August. It
hes wintered well, and was the first to show spring life.
It has every appearance of being suited to an English
climate. Dwarf-habitod slow•grawing roses and straw
berries are not suitable to our climate generally,
though they may succeed in some lands and situations.
As regards annual culture, it is essential to get them
in early, so as to be established before winter sets in.
I recommend such eif your readers as are not versed in
snob matters to have these, or some of these straw-
berries, namely, River's Eliza, Wonderful, Empress
Eugenie, Froginore Tall Pines, River's Royal Hautbois,
President, Bruton Pine (arnberwhite), the old red and
white Alpines ; and I am inclined to add, SirJ. Paxton.
Of older varieties, Alice Maude and Trollop's Victoria.
The crops here last year were very heavy. I supplied
the ckjeuner at the Royal Gardens last year with more
strawberries than they could eat. Dr. Hogg, chairman
of the Pomological Society was present, and enjoyed
them much. The Ports I took were Eliza, Wonderful,
awl Eugenie. They were a contrast to the wretched
samples that I sew in the fruiterers' stalls. The soil
here is chalky and unsuited to strawberries, but with
plenty of manure and pump water in hot weather, I
can grow great crops of the aorta recommended above.
There never was a better 8.113011 than last year for
strawberries, except for lazy, or ignorant people. After
every picking the plants here are thoroughly r:renched
with water. This enables them to bring up their next
rearage. Eliza and others were picked clean five and
nix times.

As Tegardanovellies, Mr. Tenter has kindly offered to
send me Bradley's new seedling, the late Queen. Her
Majesty's gardener, Mr. Ingram, of Frogmore, has also
kindly sent to me a present of two of his seedlings,
namely, the Fairy Queen, a great favourite at the
Royal table, and No. 10, not yet named, whim) be says
is to rival his admirable Frogmore Late Pine. It will
take some beating ! It and the Royal Hautbois are
two of the greatest leaps in the craft.
The °rop e of strawberries fail usually, not by Provi-
dence, but by ignorance and laziness. There are three
barbarisms usually observable in English gardens, wall-
fruit trees, rows, and strawberries. Hare they are all
looking admirable. This is the result of care. Finally,
have a few things In your garden, and do them all well.
Above all things have a pump!
W. F. RA.DCLYFFE.
Rushton.