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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ ApiTl 18, 1872. 



and distiuctness of feature, fiud a plaut to compare with th« 

 Globe Artichoke. What plaut is there that has such a leaf-de- 

 velopment, and such grand umbels of white inflorescence, as 

 Rhubarb ? Let " Q. Q." form a bed of vegetables in the flower 

 garden ; Rhubarb would give him a fine centre. Globe Arti- 

 chokes would do next, then bright crimson or rose-variegated 

 Kale, surrounded with Salsafy, a broad band of Beet, and an 

 edging of Lemon Thyme. I think, if well managed, such a 

 bed would create a sensation. I appreciate as much as anyone 

 endeavours in the direction of adding beauty to usefulness. 

 In the flower garden we do not expect more of a plant than 

 that it should be useful for the purpose it is put to, but it 

 must be beautiful in form, in marking, or in colour. As 

 " Q. Q." does not object to vegetables in flower gardens so 

 long as they are beautiful and serve his purpose, I presume he 

 would not object to see vegetables arranged with flowers at ex- 

 hibitions. Place trays of vegetables alternately with trays of 

 cut flowers — tastes differ ; but at an exhibition I should keep 

 flowers and plants to themselves, also fruits and vegetables. 



I have no sympathy with those who cannot endure the sight 

 of Sea-kale, Asiiaragus, Rhubarb, and .Jerusalem Artichokes, 

 to say nothing of Globe Artichokes, merely because for their 

 successful cultivation they require at a certain time material 

 ■which is thought unsightly. I consider that if vegetables are 

 required good they must have whatever is necessary for their 

 proper development, and ought not to be placed in out-of-the- 

 way corners or smothered by screens. If a thing is worth 

 growing at aU, it is worth growing well ; and if it is so un- 

 sightly that it cannot be endured, it wUl be more satisfactory 

 to discard it altogether than put it in a corner where it cannot 

 please the grower or consumer. It would be far better for all 

 concerned to keep the vegetable garden for vegetables, the 

 fruit garden for fruits, and the flower garden for flowers. 

 There is no reason why a kitchen garden should at any time 

 contain anything unsightly. I have my Raspberries covered 

 with litter 9 inches deep, also Black Currants, Sea-kale, and 

 Rhubarb ; no one complains of their unsightliness, and they 

 are not in out-of-the-way comers, but in the main quarters of 

 the kitchen garden ; in fact, they have a very comfortable 

 look, and I am told the Sea-kale, etc., is excellent, which is 

 better than the grumbling that accompanies its growth in | 

 corners where it is thrust to gratify the offended vision of 

 those who are the first to complain. There is no excuse for 

 untidiness, and the most unsightly of objects — litter, may be 

 made neat by a little extra care in putting on. Even in the 

 disposition of vegetables appearance m.ay be kept up to a great 

 extent by a judicious arrangement. Last year I put in my roots 

 in this order: — Beet, Salsafy, Beet again, Carrots, Parsnips, 

 then Onions, Chicory for roots for forcing for salads. Carrots, 

 Scorzonera, Beet, Salsafy, and Beet— a whole plot, with Beet 

 at both ends. I was told it was useful and beautiful, and by. the 

 indi-v-iduals who do not object to see litter over Sea-kale. 



I was going to say that the greatest advance I know to have 

 been accompUshed of late years in the way of adding beauty 

 to usefulness, is that accomplished by Mr. Rivers in improving 

 the size, beauty, and persistency of Peach blossoms. Some 

 of them are reaUy beautiful, and might advantageously be 

 used for decorative purposes. Eai-ly Alfred Peach has a very 

 large blossom, with deeper-tinted base. This Peach has a 

 smooth skin Ulce a Nectarine, and is very excellent, having a 

 very peculiar and agreeable flavour. Then there is Dr. Hogg, 

 Early Beatrice, Early Rivers, Early Silver, Large Early Grosse 

 Miguonne, Rivera's Early York, tlie Nectarine Peach, and for 

 size as weU as beauty, Lord Palmcrston and Princess of 

 "Wales. These are all worth growing, if only for their flowers. 

 Early Alfred and the last two are simply gi-and, whilst the 

 fruit is as good as, nay better than, any we had prior to their 

 introduction. Magdala, in addition to large flowers, has finely- 

 marked fruit — creamy white, marbled and blotched with crim- 

 son. Fine as these are, I consider a seedling I had last year 

 from Mr. Rivers, marked " Seedling" only, is as fine as .any, 

 if not finer, as regards its blossoms, they being verv larne, 

 deeper peach-coloured than Early Alfred, with a fine salmon- 

 coloured base, and very persistent. It has magnificent foliage, 

 and is a vei-y prolific and a good Peach. Another,marked " From 

 S. 24," has fine flowers, but not equal to that marked " Seed- 

 ling." — G. Abbey. 



THE EANUNCULUS. 

 Matjt thanks, " Senex," for.your kindly appreciative memo, 

 on this beautiful flower. It was that v.'hich, as I have before 



said, made me a florist, and to this day I remember as clearly 

 as if it were yesterday the garden of the " Uncle Baiter," of a 

 schoolfeDow, where I first saw it in perfection. I was a mere 

 boy then, and although I cannot speak of " fifty years " since 

 that time, yet can I say my head (if not my hair), is "like 

 the suaw," and I have never since then been so moved by the 

 sight of flowers as by that. Lihum auratum, Primula japonica, 

 beds of GladioU, stages of Auriculas, and such things have often 

 stirred-up my enthusiasm, but never equal to that. It may 

 rejoice " Senex" to know that the Metropolitan Floral Society 

 offer prizes for it now at the Crystal Palace, .June 11th, and 

 that the Royal Horticultural Society has for the first time intro- 

 duced it into their schedule. I am now looking out on two 

 beds where I have planted three thousand tubers, containing: 

 aU Mr. Lightbody's well-known coUectiou, and a number of the- 

 old Dutch sorts ; they look well, although they require more- 

 room than I have been able to give them, and I hope to have 

 much enjoyment from them by-and-by. — D., Deal. 



I EOYAL HOKTICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



I Apbil 17th. 



This Show, like the last, was again held in the consei-vatory ;; 

 and though the Azaleas, which were iutended to be the main 

 feature, did not present any advance in a cultiu'al point of view 

 over those exhibited in former years, they held their own, and 

 the other departments of the Exhibition were in all resjjects 

 excellent, rendering it a success only second to the Hyacinth 

 Show. The day was fine, and there was a good attendance of 

 visitors, among whom were two of the young Princes from. 

 Marlborough House. 



In the open class for nine Azaleas, Messrs. Lane, of Great 

 Berkhampstead, stood first with pyramidal plants, ranging from 

 3 to 4 feet high. President Humann, The Bride, and Kinghomi 

 were in excellent bloom, especially the first named. The others, 

 were EulaUe Van Geert, Souvenir de I'Expositiou, Stella, Roi 

 Leopold, Comet, and Perfection. Mr. Turner, of Slough, was 

 second with a group of excellently bloomed plants, mostly 

 gi-own with bushy heads on stems from 6 to 12 inches high. 

 These were masses of flower, and consisted of such biiUiant- 

 coloiired varieties as Stella, Eugene Mazel, salmon scarlet, with, 

 purphsh crimson blotches ; Hooibrinkii, and Triomphe de Gand- 

 Alexander H., Belle Gantoise, and Princess Eugene made up. 

 the remainder trained in this form, the other two being well- 

 flowered plants of W. Bull and Louise Margottin. In the ama^ 

 teiirs' class for six, Mr. G. Wlieeler, gardener to Sir F. H. 

 Goldsmid, Bart., was first with plants about 4 feet high, in very 

 good bloom. In the nm-serymen's class for six, Messrs. J. and 

 C. Lee, of Hammersmith, had a first prize ; and Mr. Turner- 

 and Mr. Wheeler took the prizes for single specimens. 



Class 5 was for six forced Rhododendrons. Of these Messrs. 

 Lane were the only exhibitors, taking a first prize for a fine 

 group, in which Fastiiosuni flore-pleno. Lord John Russell, 

 Madame Van de Weyer, and Sherwoodianmn were the most 

 conspicuoiis. Messrs. Lane were also first for cut trusses, among 

 which they exhibited Joseph Whitworth, Sir Robert Peel, and 

 other fine varieties. Theyhkewise sent an excellent gi-oup in 

 the miscellaneous class, taking for it an extra prize. 



Am-iculas were shown in considerable numbers, as, in addition 

 to the Society, the Metropolitan Floral Society likewise offered 

 prizes. Mr. Turner, of Slough, was first for twelve with Miss 

 Giddings (Read), Smihng Beauty (Heap), Competitor (Turner),, 

 lucomparaljle (Taylor), Col. Cbampneys (Turner). Metropohtan 

 (Spalding), Ne plus Ultra (Fletcher), Aiderm.an Wisbej" (Turner),. 

 Alderman Charles Brown (Headley), Maria (Chapman), and Ca- 

 tharina (Siunmerscales). This collection was very fine both as 

 regards the size and number of the pips on each truss. Second 

 came Mr. James, gardener to W. F. Watson, Esq., Isleworth.. 

 For six the Rev. H. H. Dombrain, Westwell Vicarage, Ashford, 

 was first with trasses in which the pips were very large without 

 being coarse. The varieties were Mayflower (Traill), Model 

 (Gains), George Lightbody, Pizarro (Campbell), Waterloo (Smith),, 

 and Lancashire Hero. Mr. James was second. 



In the Metropohtan Floral Society's classes the Rev. H. H. 

 Dombrain was first for six, Mr. James second, and H. Little, 

 Esq., Twickenham, third. The remaining collection came from 

 Mr. Butcher, Camberwell. For one Green-edged variety Mr. 

 Turner was first with Leigh's Colonel Taylor ; liev. H. H. Dom- 

 brain second with Admiral Napier ; and Mr. .James third with 

 Lively Ann. For Grey-edged the soms exhibitc r3 took the 

 same relative positions for George Lightbody; also forWliite — 

 edged with .John Waterston, and Ne plus Ultra second and third. 

 For selfs the Rev. H. H. Dombrain was first with Spalding's 

 Metropolitan, very fine in truss and splendid in colour; Mr. 

 Tm-ner being second with Pizarro, and Mr. James third with 

 Mrs. Smith. 



Of twelve Alpine Auriculas Mr. Tm"ner sent a splendid group 

 of fine varieties of his own raising. For this he took the first. 



