August 7i 197S. ] 



JOUBNAIi OP EORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAftDENER. 



97 



announced that this is the ivell-lmown " Copper TVeb," which 

 in somo years is very destructive to Asparagus, Mint, and other 

 crops, and has been known, to some extent, to attack the 

 Potato. It is figured in Tulasue's " Fungi Hypogaai," under 

 the name of Rhizoctonia. — [American Paper.) 



BOYAL HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



August Gth. 



The Show on this occasion was of very limited extent, by no 

 means filling the western conservatory corridor ; but as a set-ofE 

 it was well arranged, and the Phloxes and Orchids made an 

 effective little show for this season. 



Phloxes formed the main feature of this Show, and of these 

 Messrs. Downie, Laird, it Laing staged a remarkably fine twelve 

 in 10-inch pots, and took the first prize. Among the varieties 

 were Bridesmaid, white, shaded with lilac ; Phillipa Penglase, 

 fine lilac rose, carmine centre ; Monsieur Domage, M. Malet, 

 Madame Domage, Lothair, salmon rod; Madame Dombraiu, 

 M. de Lauuy, John Laing, and Marguerite de Tureuue, lilac. 

 Mr. Ware, Hale l-'arm Nursery, Tottenham, was second with, 

 among others, tine examples of Countess of Ereadalbaue, ma- 

 genta ; Ada, deep rose, crimson eye ; and Mrs. Laing, lilac. Mr. 

 Ware also sent a collection chiefly, consisting of seedlings ; but 

 from Messrs. Downie ct Co. came afar fiuer collection, for which 

 an extra prize was given. There were no amateur exhibitors. 



Petunias, for which there were four classes, had not a single 

 represeutative, and of Cannas there was but one collection. 

 This was exhibited by Messrs. E. G. Henderson & Son, Welling- 

 ton Nursery, and consisted of large plants of Abondance, with red 

 bronze-veined leaves; Kendatlerii, deep green; Musasfolia hy- 

 brida, of a brighter green ; Prcmices de Nice, yellow-flowered ; 

 Schubertii; and Rubra superbissima with dark bronze veins 

 and suffusion. The best six Hydrangeas were excellently- 

 bloomed specimens of the common kind, shown by Mr. Aldous, 

 Gloucester Road, South Kensington. 



Of miscellaneous subjects Mr. Ware, of Tottenham, sent a 

 eroap of herbaceous Lobelias, but with the majority of the 

 nowers only partially expanded. A first prize was awarded to 

 Mr. Denning, gardener to Lord Londesborough, for a collec- 

 tion of Orchids, including splendid specimens of Saccolabium 

 Blamei, with seventeen spikes ; Epidendrum vitellinum, with 

 thirty-eight flowers ; Oncidium macranthum, and Disa grandi- 

 flora, all of which had cultural commendations ; also a fine 

 Thunia alba, Saccolabium Blumei superbum, and Cattleyas. 

 From Mr. Aldous, Gloucester Road, came a miscellaneous 



froup, which took an extra prize ; Messrs. F. & A. Smith a very 

 ne collection of Balsams, both as regards size and colours of 

 flowers ; and from Mr. Ware, Tottenham, a dozen Pentstemons 

 in pots in very good bloom. From Mr. C Turner, Royal 

 Nurseries, Slough, came splendid stands of Carnations and 

 Picotees, of which Carnation King of Yellows, large, canary 

 yellow, had a first-class certificate. From the same exhibitor 

 came also a splendid stand of Verbenas, Prince of Wales, crimson 

 scarlet, being especially effective. Messrs. S. Dixon & Co., 

 Amhurst Nurseries, Anton Street, Hackney, again exhibited 

 their fine new double-flowered dwarf Lobelia ; and Mr. Maurice 

 Tonng, Milford Nurseries, Godalming, his beautiful Golden 

 Chinese Juniper, which had before been certificated. 



For the best dish of early Plums, Mr. B. Porter, gardener to 

 Mrs. Benham, Sion Lodge, Isleworth, was first with Early 

 Morocco, and ilr. Farrow, gardener to G. Batters, Esq., Enfield, 

 second with Jaune Hutive. The best collection of Gooseberries 

 came from Mr. Walker, nuraeryman, Thame, who bad some 

 very large fruit ; the second best from Mr. Record, gardener to 

 J. Whatman, Esq., M.P., Vintfirs Park, Maidstone, and the 

 third best from Mr. W. ilartin, Shermaubury, Hurstpierpoint. 

 Mr. Clarke, gardener to J. Hall, Esq., Sutton, and Mr. Hepper, 

 gardener to C. O. Ledward, Esq., Acton, also competed. The 

 first prize for the six heaviest Gooseberries went to Mr. G. Kirk- 

 land, Bletchington, Oxon, weight 8 ozs. ; the second to Mr. 

 Walker, Thame ; the third to Mr. Kirtland, Albion Nursery, 

 Stoke Newington; and the foorth to Mr. Tomkins, Bletchington. 



Flobal CoinnTTEE. — W. B. Kellock, Esq., in the chair. The 

 subjects exhibited on this occasion were not numerous, but a 

 good number of certificates were awarded. One of the first class 

 went to Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, for a charming white Lilium 

 named Phillipeannm, with a tube nearly 6 inches in length ; 

 also for Olearia Haastii in a basket, but lifted from the open 

 ground, densely covered with white sweet-scented flowers — 

 indeed a mass of blossom. Cypripedium Sedeni, a hybrid be- 

 tween C. longiflomm and C. SchUmii, was also certificated, and 

 is a pretty lively-coloured kind. A first-class certificate was 

 awarded for Begonia William Spinks, a cream yellow-flowered 

 variety, raised at the Society's garden at Chiswick. 



From Messrs. J. <t C. Lee, of Hammersmith, came several 

 examples of trees and shrubs. Robin ia pseud- Acacia amea 

 with beautifully golden-tinged leaves, bad a first-c^lass certi- 



ficate; also Prunus variegata with white variegated foliage, and 

 ,\iuus glutiuosa laciuiata, with broad rather deeply-slashel 

 leaves. Ligustrum lucidum angustifolium with, for a Privet, 

 very long leaves, and a variety of the same species called tri- 

 color, with much broader and shorter foliage, margined with 

 yellow and edged with rose, were also exhibited. The latter is 

 a very pretty variety. 



From G. F. Wilson, Esq., Weybridge, came a fine doublo 

 Tiger Lily, called Lilium tigi'inum erectum, together with 

 photographs of varieties of Lilium longiflorum. Mr. Ware, 

 Hale Farm Nurseries, seat collections of perpetual Carnation;", 

 and an excellent lot of seedling Pentstemons ; whilst frotu 

 Messrs. Wood & Ingram, of Huntingdon, came stands of seeil- 

 ling Carnations and Picotees. The Rev. Lord Hawke exhibited 

 a number of new Hollyhocks, of which his name alone is a 

 guarantee for their quality. First-class certificates were 

 awai-ded for Mrs. Chater, primrose with au orange-tinged 

 centre; Catherine, pale salmon; Red Cross Knight, reddish 

 maroon; and Octavia, rose. From Dr. Denny, Stoke Ne wing- 

 ton, came Pelargonium Jessica, deep scarlet ; from Mr. Douglas, 

 gardener to P. Robinson, Esq., Womersley, well-grown Cocks- 

 combs of a good strain ; and from Messrs. Dicksons, Waterloo 

 Place, Edinburgh, some excellent early-flowering Phloxes, much 

 the worse for their journey, of which we especially uoted Edin- 

 burgh Castle and Caller Ou. Mr. Rowe, The Rookery, Eoo- 

 hampton, sent a large specimen of Polyporus squamosus. 



Fruit Committee. — Alfred Smee, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 Mr. H. J. Hardy, Bures, Essex, sent Hardy's Pedigree Windsor 

 Beaus. In reference to these, it was decided that aU vege- 

 tables before receiving certificates be grown at Chiswick, on the 

 recommendation of the Committee, except where a decision 

 can fairly be made. Mr. William Bull, King's Road, Chelsea, 

 sent a Cucumber, called Excelsior, which was considered past 

 its best. Messrs. Monro & Wilkinson, Potter's Bar, sent speci- 

 mens of a Cabbage, called Little Heath, which was considered 

 a good sample of the Fulham or London Market, but not worthy 

 of a new name. 



Mr. Henry Plummer, gardener to R. Thornton, Esq., Cannon 

 Hill Park, Merton, sent two Queen Pines, a Smooth-leaved 

 Cayenne, and an Ahavah. The last being a variety unknown to 

 the Committee, it was cut. This is a medium-sized conical fruit, 

 of a deep yellow colour, and prominent pip. The flesh is deep 

 yellow, very juicy and sweet, lacking acidity. The Committee 

 were of opinion that this is Havaunah. Mr. Baker, gardener 

 to A. Basset, Esq., Sister House, Clapham, sent a distinct-look- 

 ing Pine Apple without name. It was imported from the West 

 Indies four years ago, and as it was not quite ripe it is to bo 

 seen again. Messrs. Monro .1" Wilkinson sent Little Heath 

 Melon, good specimens of the third crop borne by the plants. 



Mr. Bowman, gardener to Sir Joseph Hawley, Leybourne 

 Grange, sent a hybrid Melon with red flesh, which was very in- 

 ferior in flavoiu-. Mr. Cox, of Redleaf, sent a dish of Pears, 

 somewhat resembling Doyenne d'fete, but inferior in flavour 

 They were from an old tree grown in the neighbourhood of 

 Penshurst under the name of Early Milton. Mr. Clark, gar- 

 dener to J. M. Robertson, Esq., Roehampton, sent a dish of 

 Citron des Carmes Pears, and also a dish of White Joannetiug 

 and Red Margaret Apples. Mr. Earley, gardener, Valentines, 

 sent a collection of fruit, consisting of a dish of each Apricots, 

 Apples, and Pears, one of Early Orleans Plums, and fifteen 

 dishes of Gooseberries, for which a letter of thanks was awarded, 

 and a cultural commendation was awarded to the Apricots. A 

 letter of thanks was awarded to G. F. Gregory, Esq., Addison 

 Road, Kensington, for a dish of well-kept Apples. Mr. William 

 I'aul, of Waltham Cross, sent a bunch of a new Grape, called 

 Seedling Sweetwater, which Mr. Paul was asked to give an 

 account of as regards its growth and bearing. 



Mr. J. Henson, gardener, Newark, near Peterborough, sent a 

 seedling Gooseberry, called Hensou's Seedling. This is a de- 

 cided acquisition, being a fruit of good size, and both iu that 

 respect and in colour not unlike the Red Warrington, but the 

 flavour partakes very much of the Red Champagne, and is quite 

 rich. It is a very fine highly-flavoured Gooseberry, and, judg- 

 ing from the spray laden with fruit which was exhibited, it has 

 the appearance of being an abtmdant bearer. This was awarded 

 a first-class certificate. 



ADVANTAGES OF HOEING. 



1. The loosening of the soil in the operation of hoeing ia 

 bencfioial to the plants — as much as the destruction of the 

 weeds, or more so. 



2. Moisture abounds in the atmosphere during the hottest 

 months, and is absorbed and retained most abundantly by a 

 soil wliich is in the most friable state. Prof. Schluber found 

 that 1000 grains of stiff clay absorbed in twenty-four hours 

 only thirty-six grains of moisture from the air, while gaiden 

 mould absorbed forty-five groins, and Cue magnesia absorbed 

 sCTcnty-six grain?. 



