THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 153 



moisture above, and more below. Cucumbers and melons require 

 regular attention in stopping and training. Where the heat is 

 maintained by means of hot manure, add fresh linings directly it 

 begins to decline. Give plenty of air, to render shading unneces- 

 sary. 



Pits and Frames. — Give all the air possible to vegetable 

 marrows, tomatoes, ridge cucumbers, and chilies. It is a capital 

 plan, where any of these subjects are required early, to shift them 

 into eight-inch pots, and keep them growiug until the time arrives 

 for planting out; it makes a month's difference in their time of 

 coming into bearing, when strong plants are turned out, instead of 

 poor little starved ones. 



HOETI CULTURAL NOTES. 



(IPEIN 1 G FLOWEES do not lack encouragement so far 

 as the leading Horticultural Societies are concerned, 

 supposing their proceedings to encourage them, for 

 during the past month we have had no less than 

 three exhibitions in the metropolis, besides those 

 held in the provinces. Two of the London shows were held in 

 the gardens of the Eoyal Horticultural Society at South Kensington, 

 and one in the gardens of the Eoyal Botanic Society in Eegent's 

 Park. The first of the Kensington exhibitions, held April 5, was 

 devoted to Cyclamens and Cinerarias, and Amaryllis; and the 

 second, which was held April 19, to Auriculas and Azaleas. The 

 Regent's Park Show, held April 11, included spring flowers generally. 

 To deal with any of them in detail is quite unnecessary, and there- 

 fore only mention will be made of a few of the most important 

 matters that were brought forward at the several shows. 



April is, undoubtedly, too late to see the varieties of Cyclamen persi- 

 cum in perfection ; hence it was not a matter for surprise to find that 

 the dark flowers had lost much of their freshness, and presented a 

 faded appearance compared with what they were a month or six weeks 

 previously. Of these beautiful flowers, Mr. James, gardener to 

 W. F.Watson, Esq., Redlees, Isleworth, and Mr. Goddard, gardener 

 to H. Little, Esq., Cambridge Park, Twickenham, came out in strong 

 force, and carried all before them, and ran each other a very close 

 race in the classes in which they competed together. Indeed, the 

 competition was so close between them, that Mr. James was first, 

 with Mr. Goddard second, and in the class for six their positions 

 were exactly reversed, and Mr. Goddard was also first for an un- 

 limited collection. The varieties in the collections shown by Mr. 

 James were chiefly light flowered, but of the most excellent quality ; 

 and on the other hand, the collections put up by Mr. Goddard, 

 especially the larger ones, comprised some of the very best dark 

 flowers ever exhibited, and to say too much in their praise would 

 be well nigh impossible. Mr. Edmonds, nurseryman, of Hayes 

 Common, Middlesex, who has probably done more than any other 



