January 18, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



be made bis appearance, eacb contending for superiority, and 

 eacb only owing its fancied superiority to some exceptional 

 cause ! To tbose at all conversant witb catalogues or witb 

 tbe endless varieties of Peas, many instances of a similar cha- 

 racter will suggest tbemselves. 



Two raisers of Peas bare distiugnisbed tbemselves, eacb in 

 their several ways, and both of them from the eastern counties 

 — the late Dr. Maclean, of Colchester, and Mr. Laxton, of 

 Stamford. The Peas raised by tbe former gentleman occupy 

 a very high place in the estimation of all who prize this fa- 

 vourite vegetable. Little Gem, Advancer, and Princess Royal 

 are highly esteemed ; in fact I question if, taken aU in all, we 

 have a more general (and most deservedly so) favourite than 

 Little Gem. It is dwarf in, habit, prolific, and excellent in 

 flavour. 



Of late Peas the largest number of really new Peas have 

 come from Mr. Laxton, of Stamford ; and when we mention 

 Alpha, Cook's Favourite, QuaHty, Quantity, Supreme, without 

 counting tbose coming out this season, we see his claim to 

 being a large raiser of new Peas is just. Through the kind- 

 ness of Messrs. Carter & Co. I bad tbe opportunity of trjing 

 these this last season, and as far as my taste goes (and we 

 must remember that in Peas as in other things tastes vary) , 

 they are inferior to tbe Colchester seedlings. Indeed, I have 

 reason to believe that Mr. Laxton's first attempts were not in 

 tbe direction of quahty, but of size and appearance, and in 

 this be has unquestionably succeeded, while in Alpha we have 

 certainly an early Pea witb a considerable amount of flavour ; 

 and if be works now in this direction, and can superadd flavour 

 to tbe great size and appearance of such Peas as Cook's Fa- 

 vourite and Supreme, be will have conferred a boon on ail 

 lovers of good vegetables. One stands aghast at tbe guinea 

 packet of seeds advertised by Messrs. Hurst & Co. containing 

 five new varieties ; but there seems to be a good deal of cha- 

 racter about them, and they may give us, perhaps, that for 

 which we are looking. There are some Peas which in everj- 

 locahty assert their superiority, there are others which are 

 favourablj- regarded in only a few localities ; and I think that 

 a boon would be conferred on all who love good Peas if some 

 of your correspondents would tell us what sorts suit them best, 

 and at the same time say what tbe soil and situation of their 

 gardens are. I have found Easte's Kentish Invicta in my 

 warm and alluvial soU a very excellent Pea, early, and of good 

 flavour. — D., Deal. 



EOTAL HOETICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 Jasuaky I7th. 



The opening meeting of the year is generally looked upon 

 more in tbe Ught of a pleasant reunion than as an exhibition ; 

 but in the Council room at South Kensington yesterday were 

 brought together what formed in reabty a charming Uttle show 

 for the season, affording, too, a pleasing augury of tbe success 

 that may be expected in spring. suiTimer, and autiunn, when 

 Flora and Pomona bring their gifts more plentifully. 



Tbe first class in the schedule was for nine I\'ies in pots. 

 Messrs. Lane & Son, Great Berkbamp.stead, took tbe first place 

 witb well-clothed pyramids trained on wire, ranging from 3 to 

 4J feet high. Among the varieties were Caenwoodiana, with 

 small narrow-lobed leaves ; Gold-blotched ; Maculata ; Digitata ; 

 Rsegneriana ; Argentea rubra, with small leaves edged with 

 white and rose ; and Canariensis maculata, witb small leaves 

 mottled witb cream colour. Mr. Turner, of Slough, was second 

 with smaller plants. 



Tbe best collection of nine hardy Conifers was exbibited by 

 Messrs. Standish & Co., of Ascot, who bad a first prize for ex- 

 cellent specimens of Cepbalotaxus Fortune! robusta, a fine 

 vigorous plant ; Cupressus Lawsoniana fragrans, and Taxus fas- 

 tigiata aurea, exbibited at tbe pre\'ious meeting ; Thujopsis 

 dolabrata ; Retinospora obtiisa peudula, very handsome ; R. fiU- 

 fera, of an extremely graceful drooping habit ; R. lycopodioides, 

 one of the most handsome of the Japanese Conifers ; and Juni- 

 perus japonica albo-variegata, strikingly splashed witb white or 

 cream colour. The second prize went to Messrs. Veitchj-and 

 Messrs. Lane had an extra prize. 



Prizes were offered for the best three dishes of kitchen 

 Apples, also for tbe best three dishes of dessert Pears. For 

 Apples Mr. Parsons, gardener to R. Attenborough, Esq., 

 Acton Green, was first witb excellent fruit of Blenheim Pippin, 

 Golden Noble, and Dumelow's Seedling. Mr. Miles, gardener 

 to Lord Carrington, Wycombe Abbey, was second with Dume- 

 low's SeedHng, Alfriston, and Prince of Wales. Mr. Frisby, 

 Blankney Hall, Mr. Eoss, "VN'eltord Park, Newbury, and Mi'. 

 Parsons, Danesbury, also competed. For Pears Mr. Miles was 

 first with Uvedale's St. Germain and CatiUac, fine, and Vicar 



of Winkfield. Mr. Parsons, Danesbury, was the only other 

 exhibitor in this class. 



Fruit Committee. — G. F. Wilson, Esq., in the chair. This 

 being the first meeting of the year, the question of certificates 

 was brought under consideration. There have hitherto been 

 two certificates granted by this Committee, tbe first-class cer- 

 tificate being awarded to novelties or improvements in races of 

 fruits and vegetables, and the special certificate for meritorious 

 cultivation of existing kinds. It ha^ been found, however, that 

 a use has been made of the special certificates which was in- 

 tended only for that of the first-class certificates, and to reiuedy 

 any disadvantages arising from such a practice, it was decided 

 that in future there shall be but one certificate issued, and that 

 to be a first-class certificate for new kinds or improved races of 

 fruits and vegetables, and that for meritorious culture a cultural 

 commendation shall in future be issued, and the special certifi- 

 cate abolished. 



Messrs. Stuart & Mein, of Kelso, sent specimens of a very 

 good variety of Scotch Kale, very finely curled. Mr. Taylor, 

 gardener to W. R. H. Powell, Esq., Maesgwynne, Whitland, 

 South WiUes, sent some specimens of a good variety of Six- 

 weeks Turnip. Mr. Bray, gardener to W. A. Sauford, Esq., 

 Nynehead Court, Wellington, Somerset, sent a very splendid 

 bundle of Asparagus, which was of so great merit as to obtain 

 the fii-st cultural commendation. Mr. Cryer, the Gai'dens, 

 Sneyd Park, Bristol, sent specimens of a seedling Onion, said 

 to be a cross between Nimeham Park and Blood Red, but which 

 was considered to be tbe same as Brown Globe. 



Mr. Piccii-eUo, Wigmore Street, exbibited a very interesting 

 collection of foreign fruits and roots, the most attractive portion 

 of which was the wonderful specimens of GarUc, which for size 

 and colour are rarely seen. There were also in the collection 

 Onions such as have been exbibited at former meetings and 

 have been Hoticed in our reports. Melons, Oranges, Lemons, pre- 

 served Chestnuts and Figs. A letter of thanks was awarded for 

 this collection. Mr. Wilson, gardener to Earl Fortescue, Castle 

 Hill, South Molton, sent two remarkably handsome and large 

 specimens of Charlotte Rothschild Pines, weighing 1.3£ lbs., 

 from plants seventeen months old. They were awarded a cul- 

 tural commendation. Mr. Batters, the Gardens, Cbilworta 

 Manor, sent a box of Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, but they 

 were too far gone ; also two bunches of Black Alicante. Mr. 

 Clarke, gardener to W. Vivian, Esq., Roebampton Lodge, sent 

 a dish of Glou Morpeau Pears which bad been well kept, but 

 were deficient in flavour, ilr. Dancer, of Chiswick, sent a dish 

 of Benrre d'Aremberg, excellent in quahty and in flavour. A_ 

 seedling Apple, called Beechwood Foundling, came from Mi-. 

 J. Freeman, gardener to Sir John Sebright, Bart., Beechwood, 

 but it wa-s not considered superior to varieties already in ex- 

 istence. Another seedling from Mr. Ross, gardener to C. Eyre, 

 Esq., Welford Park, Newbury, was considered good, but not of 

 siifiicient merit to justify its being cultivated as a new variety. 

 Messrs. Harrison & Son, of Leicester, sent a seedling Apple,, 

 small and round, of a greenish-yellow colour, called Lady 

 Berners, which was not approved, and another called Prince of 

 Wales, of good size and striped, but it, too, was not of sufficient 

 merit. 



Messrs. James Backhouse & Son, of Tork, sent two dishes of 

 the Galloway Pippin which received a first-class cei-tificate last 

 year, and tbe variety maintained the same high character which 

 wa-s formed of it when tbe certificate was awarded. Mr. 

 William Paul, of Waltham Gross, exhibited a collection of six 

 varieties of Apples . 



A report on the system of keeping Grapes in bottles was read 

 by Mr. Moore, gardener to Earl Brownlow, Belton, which we 

 shall publish next week, and furnish illustrations of the room 

 and the method of keeping tbe Grapes. 



Flobal Committee. — W. Marshall, Esq., in the chair. Mr. 

 Denning, gardener to Lord Londesborougb, Grimston Park, 

 Tadcaster, sent a fine collection of Orcbid!s, including Lycaste 

 Skinneri, Onciditmi aurosum, with a branching spike of 

 numerous rich yellow and reddish brown flowers, 0. nebiilo- 

 sum, Ada aurantdaca, Sophronites grandiflora, with very large 

 flowers, La;ba autumnahs, Odontoglossum cristatum, Zygo- 

 petahim Mackayi, fine ; the white-flowered Saccolabium Har- 

 risoni, Lycaste lanipes, Ljeha anceps, and L. autumnahs grandi- 

 flora. A cultural commendation was awarded for Pbalaenopsis- 

 Porteana, with two fine spikes of lovely white flowers, with a^ 

 rosy purple Up tinged with orange at tbe base, and dotted with 

 crimson. This was very handsome. A first-class certiflcate 

 was also given to Mr. Denning for Odontoglossum Denisora". 

 of the same race as 0. Alexandras, of which it appears to be a 

 large-flowered variety ; some of the flowers of this had seven 

 sepals aoid petals, the others only five ; hence there seems to be 

 a tendency towards producing semi-double, or, it may be, double 

 flowers. Tbe spike of this handsome plant had eighteen 

 flowers. 



Mr. WiDiams, of Holloway, sent a group of his new yellow- 

 berried Aucuba, called luteo-carpa. The plants were heavily 



