THE LATEST AND BEST.
It is an old saying that it is as easy to grow the best as the worst ; and of late it may be said, among both flowers and fruits, that the best sorts are even lustier than the worst. Examples may be taken almost haphazard. The rose that has been the central attraction of the year is Betty Uprichard, It is perhaps a little difficult to understand the extent of her vogue : but she is well made, buxom, of a pleasant pink complexion, and essentially strong and healthy: She has none of the tenderness often associated with the new variety. Sweet peas multiply and develop even more rapidly than roses ; and again the newest are if anything stronger than the oldest and as easy to grow. It is not more difficult to grow " Powerscourt " or " Gleneagles," with their huge blue- mauve wings, or Charming," richest of red-pinks, or " Tan- gerine " of the indescribable yellow-red hue, than the humble
predecessors of " Countess Spencer." The newly created dwarf dianthus, charmingly christened Ariel, Titania, and so on, will rival weeds. In another sphere, the " Lloyd George' raspberry produces canes in a forest as well as fruit big and plentiful beyond any wild raspberry ; and no apple was ever a more certain grower and more healthy than Bramley's Seed- ling, which is of this generation, though already an old and tried friend. The cider apples or Golden Drop or the codlins may excel it, but are without its virtues of size and " lasting- ness." Did any bush fruit ever grow so lustily as the hybrid Logan ? These are but casual examples which can be multi- plied from every corner of the garden. Even on the farm, where progress is Slower, Yeoman IL, that best creation of Sir Rowland Biffen's genius, is the strongest wheat in history.
Previous page
