252 



JODBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 2, 1873. 



blackened leaves and withered stalks, while these plants were 

 healthy in other fields. Turnips growing among diseased 

 Potatoes do not appear to be at all affected thereby. 



If the haulm be not cut off on the first symptoms of disease, 

 it must surely be at least advisable to dig up the Potatoes as 

 soon as possible, so that those uninjured by the disease may 

 be removed. But it seems that many are in the habit of 

 digging their Potatoes in small lots at a time, so that they will 

 not have all the tubers out of the ground perhaps before Christ 

 mas. Like the Turks, they are moved by a species of fatalism, 

 and argue that those tubers that are diseased cannot be re- 

 covered, and so they may as well rot away, while those that 

 are sound will be so whenever dug up. Under false notions of 

 economy in Kent, and elsewhere, some jiersons are accustomed 

 to plough-up their Potatoes instead of " forking " them out of 

 the ground. The result is, as is quite apparent, that a larger 

 proportion are lost than by the other plan, and of those that 

 are turned up more are cut about. 



It would be interesting to ascertain in what relation, if any, 

 the Potato disease stands to the succession of crops. In some 

 of the fields I went through there had been grass or Clover 

 growmg the previous year, in others corn. It is not usual 

 here to make any particular selection as to soil, ifcc, in putting- 

 in Potatoes, but we may discover hereafter that Potatoes are 

 more likely to be diseased when they follow certain crops. — 

 — J. R. S. C, Gravcsend, Kent. 



[Whatever may be the cause of the disease, one fact has 

 been clearly established — Potatoes dug up early in August 

 usually are not diseased. Whoever leaves the tubers in the 

 ground until September subjects them to far more Uabihty to 

 be affected. — Eds.] 



ROYAL HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



OCTOBEK 1st. 



The chief features on this occasion were the edible and 

 poisonous Fungi, of which several extensive collections were 

 shown, and the display of Grapes. As regards Fungi, which 

 are especially plentiful this autumn, we are promised a special 

 report next week ; we shall therefore here confine ourselves to 

 giving the names of the successful competitors. For Mr. Wilson 

 Saunders's prizes for collections of edible and poisonous l^ungi, 

 arranged separately, Mr. English, of Epi^ing, was first with 

 numerous species very neatly set xip, and Mr. B. J. Austin, 

 6, Russell Street, Reading, second. For the best collection of 

 edible Fungi, Mr. W. G. Smith, Mildmay Park, was first. Miss 

 E. Hubbard, Leonardslee, Horsham, second, and Mr. B.J. Austin 

 third. In the class for cultivated edible Fungi there was no 

 competition. 



Prizes were oflered for six pots of autumn Crocuses, but none 

 were exhibited, and the only collection of Colchicums was that 

 shown by Mr. R. Parker, of Tooting, consisting of fine potfuls 

 of C. .autumnale aud its varieties palUdum and album, and 

 C. byzautinum and its varieties variegatum aud maximum. Mr. 

 Parker bad an extra prize for cut blooms of Pyrethrums, very 

 double, and a flue collection of Aster Amellus, discolor major, 

 Tritoma Uvaria glaucescens, and other hardy autumn-flower- 

 ing plants, among which Pyrethrum serotiuum was very con- 

 spicuous. 



Prizes were oiiered for collections of Black aud White Grapes. 

 In the class for the former Mr. Bannerman, gardener to Lord 

 Bagot, BUthfleld, Rugeley, was the only exhibitor, and gained 

 the first prize with a dozen sorts ; Champion Hamburgh, Ali- 

 cante, Lady Downe's, and Gros Colmau were pretty good. The 

 first prize for a collection of White Grapes was given to Mr. 

 T. Wattam, gardener to A. H. Lougmau, Esq., Shendish, Hemel 

 Hempstead, he had very good Muscats and Buckland Sweet- 

 water. The best single bunch of White Grapes was a well- 

 finished one of Muscat of Alexandria, from Mr. J. Woodbridge, 

 Sion House, Brentford ; the same variety from Mr. T. Wattam, 

 was second. Mr. Wattam had the best single black bunch, a 

 well-finished Alicante. Mr. Woodbridge was second with Ma- 

 dresfleld Court Muscat. 



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

 Mr. Sweeting, gardener to J. Y. Venn, Esq., Sneyd Park, Bristol, 

 sent a seedling Black Muscat Grape named Venn's Seedhug 

 Muscat; the flesh is very firm, and the Muscat flavour well de- 

 veloped. None of the bunches sent were in good condition. 

 Three bunches were shown. A small one cut from a graft on 

 the Dutch Sweetwater was the best-finished, and had been ripe 

 since May ; it was in good condition and well coloured. The 

 bunch cut from the parent Vine was very badly coloured. The 

 Committee asked to see this variety again in March. 



Three seedling Apples were sent by Mr. John Webster, Gordon 

 Castle. The Committee could not express anj' opinion upon 

 them until they saw examples of established sorts grown at the 



same place to compare with them. Princess Christian Apple 

 was sent by Mrs. Hitching, Upminster Common, Essex. They 

 were not in condition, and were passed. Mr. Ford, gardener to 

 E. G. Hubbard, Esq., Leonardslee, sent Apple Be.auty of Leo- 

 uardslee. The cooked fruit was a bad colour, and was thought 

 inferior to established sorts. Sir. S. Foulsham, gardener to 

 N. Surridge, Esq., Romford, sent a dish of dessert Apples, which 

 were passed. Messrs. Bunyard & Sous, Maidstone, Kent, sent 

 Alexandra Nonpareil; this is a very good-flavoured early Apple, 

 and sufliciently distinct. The Committee asked to see it next 

 year, as the fruit was shrivelled from having been gathered too 

 early. Mr. Dancer, of Little Satton, Cbiswick, sent beautiful 

 examples of Yellow Ingestrie Apple of good flavour. 



Mr. W. Paul, of Waltham Cross, N., exhibited a bunch of 

 Waltham Cross Grape, which has already been certificated by 

 the Committee. It well maintains the character it received last 

 year: the flavour was very good. Winter Muscadine was also 

 sent by Mr. Paul. This is a very large-bunched variety, a sweet 

 Grape of pleasant flavour. Mr. Pearson, of Chilwell, Notting- 

 ham, sent a seedling white Grape, the berries round, jiricy, and 

 of a pleasant IMuscat flavour ; also a very handsome bunch of 

 Dr. Hogg — this fully maintained its character as being one of 

 the very best Grapes with Froutignan flavour. Pond's Seedling 

 and Reine Claude de Bavay Plums, and a dish of Pears, were 

 sent by Mr. Jack, gardener to the Duke of Cleveland, Battle 

 Abbey, Sussex. 



Mr. Dancer, of Cbiswick, sent thirty-eight varieties of Pears, 

 thirty-five of Apples, and two of Plums. 'The fruit were remark- 

 ably large and of excellent quality, reminding one of the best 

 examples from Jersey. Of Pears, Durandeau, or De Tongres, 

 was very fine, and will probably be a good market Pear; Gra- 

 tioli of Jersey ; Seckle, very fine and highly coloured. Beurrfe 

 Hardy, Marie Louise d'Uccle, Doyenne du Comice, General 

 Todtleben, Beurre Bachelier, Baronne de Mello, and Forme de 

 Bergamotte were really grand. He also exhibited such Apples 

 as Cox's Orange Pippin like good-sized Blenheims, Ribstou 

 Pippin, Braddick's and Scarlet Nonpareils, Golden Noble, Dume- 

 low's Seedling, Cox's Pomona, Reinette de Caux, much thought 

 of by Sir. Dancer. The Committee expressed their thauks to 

 Mr. Dancer for these collections, and recommended that the 

 Lindley medal be awarded for them. 



A collection of Apples and Pears was also sent by Mr.. T. 

 Sadler, gardener to R. H. Wyatt, Esq., Wandsworth Lodge, 

 Tooting. They contained very good examples, and received a 

 cultural commendation. Mr. C. Turner, of Slough, sent some 

 very flue examples of White Spanish Onion. A cultural com- 

 mendation was awarded. Splendid examples of the Large 

 Yellow Tomato were sent by Mr. J. Perkins, gardener to Lord 

 Heuniker, Thornbam Hall, Suffolk, and received a cultural com- 

 mendation. 



A first-class certificate was awarded to Barchard's Seedling 

 Apple, sent by Mr. Dancer. It is a very handsome Apjjle, very 

 free-bearing, especially on large standards. It was stated that 

 the tree would be eft'ective as a lawn tree, from its regular habit 

 of growth being naturally quite umbrella- shaped. 



Messrs. Veitch it Sous, of Chelsea, sent a collection of Beet, 

 including the highly ornamental Chilian Beet. Of the kinds 

 cultivated for culinary use, which were in a cooked state, to our 

 taste Whyte's Black, Pine Apple Short-toi), and Dell's were the 

 best, standing in point of merit in the order named. Messrs. 

 Stuart & Mein, Kelso, sent a collection of Turnips. 



Floeal Committee. — Mr. J. Fraser in the chair. Mr. J. 

 Baines, gardener to H. Micholls, Esq., Southgate House, bad a 

 first-class certificate for a Cattleya imported from Bogota, with 

 a deep purple lip, yellowish cream towards the base ; the rest of 

 the inflorescence slightly flushed with purplish pink. This was 

 subsequently named C. speciosa Bassettii. A like award was 

 made to Messrs. E. G. Henderson it Son, Wellington Nursery, 

 St. John's Wood, for Golden Fleece Thyme, with broader leaves 

 and more yellow than Thymus citriodora aurea. Mr. Williams, 

 of HoUoway, sent Pourretia acbupuUa, with gracefully arching 

 leaves upwards of a yard long, bright green, turningto crimson 

 at the extremities, and in the younger leaves partially blotched 

 with the same colour. This was asvarded a first-class certifi- 

 cate. From Mr. W. Bull, Chelsea, came Ricinus refulgens from 

 Burmah, with dark bronzed leaves— an effective Castor-oil Plant. 

 Messrs. E. G. Henderson exhibited Dahlia viridiflora, a green 

 Dahlia raised by M. Sieckmann, also scarlet Begonias Dr. Kellock 

 and Prince of Wales. From the Society's garden at Cbiswick 

 came two nice plants of Lomaria gibba Bellii, and Lady Middle- 

 ton Geranium sported, producing both rose aud scarlet-coloured 

 flowers. 



Mr. R. Parker, Exotic Nursery, Tooting, sent Chrysanthemum 

 indicum nanum, very dwarf and in excellent bloom, lifted from 

 the open ground. Mr. Wimsett, Ashburuham Park Nm-sery, 

 Chelsea, contributed a group of dwarf Palms, Crotons, and 

 Dracienas suitable for table decoration. Mr. Coulter, Haydou 

 Hall, Eastcote, Middlesex, sent a plant of Eucharis amazouica 

 in fine bloom and having large flowers. 



Mr. S. P. Harris, Orpington, sent a stand of seedling DahHas, 



