Jttlr 28, 18G.1. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



67 



Crystal Palace to be erected on the hiy^liost portion of the 

 ;^;rounds, from whence a view rivaUin;:; in extent and beauty 

 that from Sydenham is obtained — a view extending over the 

 counties of Hertford and Essex, down the valley of the 

 Thames, to Erith, Ac, and away into Kent, wliile London is 

 hid from view by the hills of Highgate and Hampstead. The 

 richly wooded and jiark-like character of the foreground re- 

 minds one very much of that around Beckenham and Penge. 

 Of the estate itself, which contains 480 acres, at least 250 will 

 be retained for the piu-poses of the Company, and the re- 

 mainder will be let off for villa residences. A large portion 

 of it will be left in its present condition, as it is Mr. Mac- 

 kenzie's opinion that landscape-gardening can add but little 

 to the beauty of its sylvan glades, which will afford a fine 

 scope for picnic parties to roam about at leisure as well as 

 if they were a hundred uiUes from London. The trees 



■ around the Grove House are very beautifid ; one walk, 

 called Dr. Johnson's Walk, formed of large and wide-spread- 

 ing Oaks, wiE, we venture to predict, be a favourite stroll, 

 where 



•* Lovers' vows seem soft in eveiy whispered word." 



There are also a magnificent Chestnut tree, a fine Copper 

 Beech, and other trees equally beautiful. I hope sincerely 

 that the rutliless hand of the improver will leave these 

 untouched. As I looked round on the capabilities of the 

 place the thought came across me. To whom is Mr. Mac- 

 kenzie likely to look for counsel in this matter ? and I could 

 not but wish that Mr. Mamock had a voice in the matter. 

 He made so much of the capabilities of the Botanic Gardens 

 in the Park, and many of his other efforts at landscape- 

 gardening in the more natural style have been so successful, 

 that he woidd be quite at home here. Water is not want- 

 ing ; and although there is but a small portion of it at 

 present, I do not doubt that it will be greatly enlarged 

 and made as attractive as possible. 



The Company, who only completed the purchase of the 

 ground on the 24th of last month, determined to open it 

 with all the t'clut possible, and so an-anged to have, if 

 possible, a grand flower show and an archery fete. It was 

 a bold ventm-e, for all depended on the state of the weather. 

 Had the wretchedness of Tuesday and Wednesday continued, 

 the whole atfaii' wovdd, both literally and metaphorically, 

 have had a damper jmt upon it. As it was, with brdliant 

 sunshine and fanned by a genial westerly breeze, it was a 

 most decided success ; and when to this is added that the 

 flower show was one of the best — some placed it as the best 

 — that have been held tliis season, that most of our great 

 exldbitors wore there, that a most liberal schedule induced 

 competition which made it difBcult to determine often which 

 were the best, and that not one bad collection of any kind 

 was staged, your readers may form some notion of the treat 

 that it was to those who visited the grounds. 



The amount of produce sent completely took Mr. Mackenzie 

 by siu-prise, so that tent after tent had to be put up until 

 four were more than filled. The large one contained as 

 magnificent a collection of stove and greenhouse plants as 

 have ever been massed together in July. The second con- 



■ tained a fine coUeetion of fr-uit, the cut flowers, and table 

 decorations. The third was filled with Roses and Fuchsias, 

 and the fourth with ft-uit trees in pots ; and in most of the 

 classes it has rarely been my lot to record such splendid 

 collections. The Roses exliibited by Mr. Keynes have never 

 been equalled, as far as my knowledge goes, his collection 

 of 100 blooms being a most marvellous lot. It is something 

 even in a box of 48's to say that there is not a bad bloom in 

 it ; but when in a box of 100 one could not positively fix 

 on an indifferent bloom, it may be weU conceived what a 

 rich collection it was. His box of 48's was hardly inferior 

 to this ; while the Messrs. Paul exhibited some very fine 

 collections. Mr. Fraser's was also good. Amongst amateurs 

 the contention was not sharp, there being "but three ex- 

 hibitors. 



Mr. Turner exhibited some extraordinary blooms of Car- 

 nations and Picotees, as fine as I ever recollect to have seen 

 them ; but, as it wovdd be impossible for me at this late 

 period of the week to do justice to the fiorists' flowers, I 

 must reserve my fuller notes of them for next week. I can- 

 not, however, omit noticing the beautifid dinner-table 

 decorations exhibited by Mr. James Cutbush, of Highgate, 

 in which evidently a lady's exquisite taste had been called 



into request — no little birds, bits of coral, shells, or fish 

 disfigured the exquisite refinement of the arrangement of 

 fruits and flowers. Some beautiful hanging-baskets were 

 also contributed, and imparted great beauty and variety to 

 the Exhibition. — D., Deal. 



Stove and Greenhouse Plants. — The total amount 

 offered for these was large — no less than ^£148, and the dis- 

 play made was proportionably good ; the principal contri- 

 butors being Mr. Williams, of HoUoway, Messrs. A. Hen- 

 derson <fc Co., Eraser, and Lee. 



In the liifferent collections were several excellent examples 

 of Allamanda Schotti and grandiflora, two beautiful Dipla- 

 denias crassinoda and splendens, Stephanotis floribunda, 

 Rondeletia speciosa. Erica Pamientieri rosea, in fine bloom : 

 the lovely Pleroma elegans, Vincas, Ixoras, Kalosanths, and 

 other plants usually exhibited, with the addition in the 

 mixed collections of numerous handsome specimens of fine- 

 foMaged plants. 



In collections of twelve, the first prize was taken by Mr. 

 Gilbert, gardener to E. McMm-do, Esq.. Hastings; the 

 second by Mr. Wheeler, gardener to A. Phllpott, Esq., Stam- 

 ford HUl. 



In the Nurserymen's Class for eight, Messrs. J. & J. Eraser 

 had first prize for a collection, in wliich were Ixora javanica 

 and its variety floribunda in fine condition ; a splendid 

 Kalosanth called Phoenix, and Vinca ocellata. Mr. Rhodes 

 was second. 



For mixed collections of flowering and ornamental-foliaged 

 plants, the highest prizes were awarded to Messrs. A. Hen- 

 derson & Co. and Mr. Williams, both of wlom contributed 

 extensive collections. In that of Messrs. Henderson were 

 Ixoras, Allamandas, Vincas, Clerodendron faUax, and Gna- 

 phalium eximium, a showy Everlasting with orange flowers 

 when fully expanded ; and for foliage several fine Caladiums, 

 Alocasia macrorhiza vai-iegata, Jacaranda filicifolia, Alocasia 

 Lowii, Maranta fasciata and zebrina, and Cissus poi-phyro- 

 phyUus, but not looking so handsome in its old as in a 

 younger state. Mr. Williams had Dendrobium formosum 

 giganteum, Miltonia spectabilis, Cattleya crispa, Kalo- 

 santhes coccinea, a very large Latania borbonica, and 

 Gleichenia spehincie and hecistophyUa, both very fine. 

 Messi-s. Lee had a handsome Alocasia metaUica, Cordyline 

 indivisa, Dracaena ferrea, Cissus discolor, Ixora coccinea, 

 several small Heaths, and some other plants. 



Heaths. — The show of these was good, though many of 

 the specimens were not equal in size to those seen at 

 previous exhibitions. Among the most effective were Par- 

 mentieri rosea, ampuUacea major, ventricosa Bothwelliana, 

 vestita coccinea, Aitoniana TurnbuUi, metulasflora bicolor, 

 and tricolor WUsoni. Messrs. Jackson & Son and Mr. Rhodes, 

 of Sydenham, were respectively first and second in the 

 Nurserymen's Class, and Messrs. Eraser thii-d. Mr. Gilbert 

 had first and Mr. Wlieeler second prizes in the Amateurs' 

 Class of eight ; and in the Open Class for six kinds Messrs. 

 Lee were first with a collection in which was a splendid 

 plant of the showy scarlet vestita coccinea, ampuUacea 

 scotica, and Aitoniana TurnbuUi. Mr. Rhodes was second ; 

 Mr. Smith, of Norwood Grove, third. 



Oechids were not numerous. The best in the Amateurs' 

 Class for fifteen came from Mr. Young, gardener to W. Stone, 

 Esq., Leigh Park, Havant, who had some excellent Cattleyas 

 and Oncidiums, Phalaenopsis grandiflora, and several Jirides 

 and Saccolabiums. By far the best coUection, however, 

 was that shown in the Nurserymen's Class by Mr. Williams. 

 of HoUoway, who had Cattleya crispa and Leopoldi, several 

 fine Oncidiums, including Lanceanum ; Stanhopea maculata, 

 Trichopilia tortilis, Saccolabium Blumei major, and several 

 fine jErides. Messrs. Jackson & Son had Stanhopea oculata, 

 Oncidium Lanceanum, and some good Cattleyas. 



Febns and Fine-foliaged Plants.— The latter, besides 

 being shown in the mixed collections, had also classes in which 

 thev could be exhibited bv themselves. They consisted of the 

 kinds usually seen, many of the specimens, however, being 

 very handsome. We particularly noticed Alocasia metallica 

 with magnificent leaves, coming from Messrs. Lee and Mr. 

 Williams, between whose plants it would have been difficult 

 to have said which was the best. Alocasia Lowii was also 

 sent by both these exhibitors. A fine specimen of Cordyline 



