is a craving for cheapness there is also a dissatisfaction with inferior quality, and a desire and willingness to pay for something better. The cheap foreign products go year by year to a lower stratum of society, and the upper strata are always asking for higher quality. For example, the middle and upper classes show a decided preference for the high-class smooth Tomatos of moderate size, and the old, corrugated, and over-sized varieties find their way to the coster's barrow.

And this leads me to say that the advance made in the cultivation of Tomatos and the raising of improved varieties have entitled this beautiful and wholesome product to be elevated to the dignity of a fruit. Messrs. Sutton & Sons and other growers have presented us with dessert varieties, which are being consumed in enormous quantities in a raw state, and I frequently hear it said, in answer to the question, "Do you want the Tomatos for cooking?" "Oh no; they are far too good for that! Why, it would be more reasonable to call some varieties of Melon vegetables than Tomatos of this fruit-like character. For I am inclined to think that some inferior Melons would be improved by cooking.

Let me also put in a plea for the more delicate varieties of Grape. Londoners are too apt to taste with their eyes, and during the festive season, go where you will, nothing but Gros Colmar and Black Alicante Grapes meets your eyes at dessert. I give credit to the growers for their great skill and enterprise, but I should like to see some Grapes in the market suitable for invalids. It is one of my greatest pleasures to supply the sick and suffering with fruit that they can really enjoy, and a Grape with a thin skin and juicy texture will often bring a smile to the face even of the dying. The "Diamond Traube," "Duke of Buccleuch," "Black Hamburgh" properly ripened, and "West St. Peter's" are to be recommended for this purpose.

We are indebted to our French friends for a delightful addition to the fruits suitable for invalids. The so-called Perpetual Strawberries are likely to effect a revolution in Strawberry growing, not so much by what they are as by what they will probably become when crossed with our largest and best varieties. Last week I was privileged to see these Strawberries growing in the gardens of Gunnersbury House, the residence of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, and I was greatly surprised to find the crop of Strawberries

there far in advance of anything of the kind I had previously seen. The air was perfumed with their delightful fragrance, and the fruit was thrown well above the leaves on the old plants, whilst the runners, not yet detached from the parent plants, were commencing to fruit in pots in the open air. Even runners from these were showing blossom. The name of the variety is 'St. Joseph.'

Mr. Hudson, the eminent gardener at this establishment, in a letter to the Standard, thus describes his mode of culture:

"The culture of the Alpine Strawberry is of the simplest description. Seedling plants are infinitely better than those obtained from runners. The old plan of propagation by runners did nothing to increase its popularity, rather otherwise. Plants raised from runners lack in a remarkable degree the vigorous constitution of seedlings, whilst they are not so fertile, nor so continuous in bearing fruit. The seed may be sown in a cold frame in April, or in the open ground in May, similar to hardy annuals, a moist, cool, shaded spot being chosen. The seedlings should be transplanted once or twice, being finally put out into beds eighteen inches from plant to plant, October being the best month for this purpose. These plants if well attended to will commence to bear fruit in June following, being as early as the best known of the early kinds of the ordinary Strawberry, but with continuous cropping qualities until the middle of October, covering a period of four months. The season may be further extended until the end of October, if ordinary garden frames be placed over them, whilst under more favourable climatic conditions the season can be further prolonged. When the fruit is all picked the plants can be destroyed, or a portion of them, those remaining being kept for the first crop another season, these being again succeeded by seedling plants, which in that case can have their first flower spikes cut off, so as to further strengthen the plants. The runners, which are produced freely, should be cut off too. Almost any soil, but preferably a light one, will suit them. This Strawberry delights in moisture, and a moderate amount of shade; hence spots not suited to other fruits may be utilised for this."

The Raspberry also can be grown to great advantage in the suburbs of London, as it is not adapted to bear long journeys, and the new variety, 'Superlative,' is strongly recommended.

GOOSEBERRIES

have the good quality of being useful both in their ripe and unripe state. The method of growing them in fan shape, as recently exhibited by Messrs. Veitch, offers many advantages. It is easier to protect the fruit and to gather it when the bushes are thus trained. A cool, moist situation suits them best.

Currants, red, white, and black, will, like Gooseberries, thrive under the shade of other trees, and all surplus fruit can readily be preserved for winter use.

Cherries can rarely be ripened out of doors except when protected by netting, as blackbirds, thrushes, and starlings cannot otherwise be kept from them in London. Cherries grown in a cool orchard house are, as many of you know, most delicious, and they can then be kept safe from birds. They are worthy of this protection, and the good qualities of some varieties can only be brought out when ripened under glass.

Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots ripen well on south walls in the suburbs of London. They require copious supplies of water, especially after the stoning period, and the roots should be frequently lifted to keep the trees in fruitful condition. Heavy crops may be relied on under glass.

There are not many sorts of Plum that fruit regularly in London soil. The Victoria' is an exception, but much may be done to increase fertility by mixing lime with the soil and occasionally lifting the roots. The Plum resents the use of the knife and thrives best in firm ground.

To have the choicest plums in perfection they should be grown in pots under glass, and they are then most delicious. Some very fine exhibits are shown to-day, and to these I beg to draw your attention. Those exhibited by Mr. Leopold de Rothschild are especially fine, and when I saw them last week all the trees were covered with fine fruit, and they presented a charming sight.

Figs ripen well in most parts of London when trained on walls, but two crops in the year may be relied upon when grown under glass.

The Mulberry is a good town tree, and thrives round London. It should be planted on a lawn, so that the fruit may fall upon grass. Mulberries freshly gathered are very welcome in hot weather, especially to an invalid.

BLACKBERRIES.

The best of these is indigenous to the Surrey hills, and ripens its fruit well in shady positions.

I refer to Laciniatus.' This variety ripens early, bears abundantly, and is very delicious. I prefer it to any of the American varieties, for which it is sometimes mistaken, but it springs spontaneously from the loam brought from Walton Heath, and it is locally known as the Norwood Blackberry.' It delights in partial shade, and many waste spots might be rendered profitable by planting them with this variety of Blackberry.

[In replying to a vote of thanks, Mr. Roupell mentioned the confusion existing in the naming of Apples and Pears, and as an example he referred to 'Yellow Ingestrie' Apple, which he said was often called 'Summer Golden Pippin.' The fruit of the two was remarkably similar in appearance, but the flesh of 'Summer Golden Pippin' was by far the better quality, and their growth was quite distinct, the Golden Pippin' being very bushy and stocky wood, whereas Yellow Ingestrie' made long thin growths.]

"HANDBOOK OF INSECTS

Injurious to Orchard and Bush Fruits, with Means of Prevention and Remedy." By Eleanor A. Ormerod. Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., London.

Miss Ormerod's last book fully maintains the high standard of excellence which marks all her previous work. It is a handbook in more than name, for it ought never to be far from the hand of any grower of fruit.

Where every insect that infests our fruit crops is so exhaustively dealt with, it is perhaps invidious to mention any in particular. The articles on the Black Currant Mite, the Plum Aphis, the Winter Moth, and the Eel-worm will appeal to most fruit-growers, and the mention of them serves to show the wide scope of the book. We could have wished for a table of contents at the beginning, but with this one trifling exception the book could hardly be improved. It is a book to be universally recommended and studied.

REPORT ON CANNAS AT CHISWICK, 1898.

A COLLECTION of seventy-one new and old varieties of Cannas, together with many unnamed seedlings raised in the Gardens, were grown at Chiswick. Two plants of each were flowered in 10-in. pots in an unheated greenhouse. The plants made good growth and flowered profusely from the early part of July to the middle of October, and were greatly admired. They were started in cocoanut fibre in March in a brisk heat, and when large enough were divided and transferred to 4-in. pots and planted in turfy loam to which had been added a quantity of leaf-mould and sharp silver-sand to keep the whole porous. Later on the plants were moved to the flowering pots and placed in a cool house. It is very important that Cannas should have perfect drainage, and during the growing season copious supplies of water should be given to the roots. Cannas are well adapted for subtropical bedding, but the Italia group are not suitable for this purpose. Those belonging to the Italia group are conspicuous for their tall habit, handsome foliage, and gorgeously coloured flowers, which, however, are of shorter duration than those of the Crozy group. The collection was examined by the Floral Committee on several occasions.

1. Admiral Courbet, F.C.C. August 28, 1888 (Vilmorin).Spike tall and slender; flowers of medium size, with long petals, bright canary-yellow, spotted with crimson.

2. Ajax (Veitch).-Dwarf habit; not very free flowering; flowers lemon-yellow, streaked with rosy crimson, the centre segment being striped with deep crimson.

3. Alemannia, A.M. July 27, 1898 (Dammann and Veitch).Very large leaves; flowers large and handsome, with a broad Cattleya-like lip, orange scarlet and deep red, with an irregular golden-yellow margin.

4. Alphonse Bouvier, A.M. January 12, 1892 (Lemoine).—