118 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 15, 1867. 



attention, shortening the spike, and when necessary thinning 

 out the bloom-buds, and thus furnishing good lessons to all 

 Hollyhock growers who wish to show. For my own fancy I 

 like to see this majestic plant rear its head untouched and 

 unstopped. 



Amongst the scarlet section of Pelargoniums shown, I will 

 merely mention a few seedlings of the present and the last 

 year : — Christine Surpasse, very like Christine in colour, leaf, 

 and habit, but without any white in the flower, and less pro- 

 pensity to seed freely ; Vulcan, a bright scarlet of 1866, superior 

 to Cybister ; Marion, also of 1860, pale rosy pink, clear colour, 

 considered an improvement on Mrs. W. Paul ; Masterpiece, 

 also of 1866, a bold large salmon scarlet flower; Alexander 

 McKay, a seedling of 1867, bright vermilion, with a strong tint 

 of Yellow Nosegay, with zonal foliage, and large truss of middle - 

 sized Nosegay flowers ; Forget-me-not, the grand sparkling gem 

 of the lot, combining all the best properties of Christine, 

 Caroline Lindsay, and Wiltshire Lass, being of a bright rose 

 colour, clear and shining, with a distinct white blotch at the 

 base of the top petals, dark-zoned foliage, aud good habit. I 

 shall be much deceived if this beautiful variety does not come 

 abundantly into request fur pots, vases, borders, and, above all, 

 to lend its charm to the chaste bouquet. 



AVhen I used to see more of country shows than I do now, I 

 used to be impressed with the simple fact, that to a great 

 degree they flourished and declined juit in proportion as they 

 were patronised or not patronised by nurserymen. There may 

 be two reasons for this — first, the great paying public will not 

 long pay unless it has quantity as well as quality for its money ; 

 and, secondly, the keen amateur, who cares for nothing that is 

 not new, and of the most improved shape and colour, will not 

 trouble himself to go where there is no chance of seeing such 

 subjects in a nurseryman's collection. The groups, stands, 

 and boxes of the nurseryman are, therefore, attractive features 

 at all such exhibitions. Why, then, do nurserymen not visit, or 

 having done so at first, discontinue to bring their plants, etc., 

 to such gatherings ? Is it not well to be out with something 

 like the truth, and say, Just because nurserymen are obliged to 

 look at such matters not merely in the light of honours, but in 

 the way of business, as associated with £ s. <L ? "When the first 

 enthusiasm has evaporated, there will be fewer orders for the 

 articles in trade. The societies are generally too poor to 

 enable them to offer prizes that would be worth while com- 

 peting for by nurserjmen, and the mere pnivilege of having 

 a place assigned for the articles they bring, and a barren vote 

 of thanks, and not always that, forwarded to tJiem by the Com- 

 mittee, will not go a great way to meet their necessary ex- 

 penses by road and by rail. In this respect my Woburn 

 friends might, in a small way, give a general lesson. I have no 

 authority for stating their general practice in this respect, but 

 I believe it to be this, that though no prizes are offered in this 

 class, such awards are made as will cover a portion if not all 

 of the necessary expenses, and this 1 think should in all 

 cases be done. Good as the Show was, it would have been de- 

 prived of some of its most striking attractions if the nursery- 

 men had not given their valued help. 



There were, besides the cultural produce, some artistic 

 designs well worthy of the extra prizes awarded. There was a 

 beautiful grey-coloured model of the old church, done by a 

 young woman of Woburn ; there was a neat model flower gar- 

 den, enclosed within a very neat iron railing ; there was a 

 handsome model of a villa, with all its necessary accompani- 

 ments of conservatory, pleasure grounds, tlower-beds, gravel 

 paths, lawn, croquet ground, aud miniature figures of ladies 

 and gentlemen wielding the mallet, done by a youth of seven- 

 teen years of age, Thomas Randall, showing that genius has 

 not yet died out amongst us ; and lastly, there was a cross 

 some 9 feet in height, the main trunk neatly covered with grey 

 liichen, and on this were neatly fastened 116 distinct kinds of 

 Grasses, collected with great trouble in the park, as there is 

 now no Grass garden at Woburn Abbey. A card gave the bota- 

 nical and English names of every specimen. This was the 

 work of Mr. Phillimore, of the Abbey, who showed the arms of 

 the Bedford family in lied. White, and Black Currants last 

 year. This assemblage of Grasses deserved more attention 

 and study than it was possible for a visitor to give it. 



As regards the prizes for the best-kept allotments and gardens, 

 this feature and the mode of operation described last year are 

 well worthy of imitation in similar circumstances. The taking 

 up four fresh districts or parishes evei'y year renders the efforts 

 of the Society more diffused, and on all hands I heard nothing 

 bat encomiums of the good thus effected. So strong is the ' 



emulation produced, that I noticed that in one of these places 

 (Eversholt), there were as many as fifteen competitors. 



The prompt payment of prize-money, commencing at 6 p.m., 

 and on the grounds of the Exhibition, is another feature. 

 Rocks there may be ahead on which the vessel of this Society 

 may founder — rocks arising even from the extended sphere of 

 its operations — rocks arising from the difference of view that 

 may rightly exist as to the adjuncts in the way of entertain- 

 ment, that may or may not be added to the Exhibition — rocks 

 arising from an unwillingness of the minority to act heartily 

 with the majority when their own views do not meet the general 

 approval ; — but prompt payment will be none of these rocks. 

 I have known cases in which the cottagers had long to wait, and 

 then lose time in order to obtain their prize-money. I have a 

 vivid recollection of a scene — the cottage prizetakers being 

 brought into an elegant room, after the members of the Society 

 had dined, to receive a well-meant lecturet on mutual sympathy, 

 industry, and temperance, and then go to the bar to receive 

 their money. I thought then, and think now, that the sight 

 of the table with its glasses, tumblers, and wine-decanters 

 would be more powerful as an example than the goodness of 

 the precepts. The time may come when we shall do without 

 these money prizes ; but I fear it is not yet. I read with my 

 accustomed zest the article in the number of July "iStb, on 

 harvest homes and village shows, by the warm-hearted 

 " Wiltshire Rectok," and with still more zest his remarks on 

 giving no prizes, aa a means of preventing in a small parish 

 heart-burnings, tiffs, huffs, and quarrels. Right well may such 

 a plan succeed. There is, however, hardly a mere human- 

 devised good that does not bring some alloy in its train. The 

 want of prizes would damp emulation, and leave the spectators 

 as ignorant as before as to what constitute the best points in 

 different products. I read these statements all the more 

 earnestly, as years ago I would have gladly avoided the evils of 

 competition in other and wider fields. A frieud of my youth, 

 of the same opinions — a zealous schoolmaster, was resolved to 

 carry it out in education. There should be no proud dux, no 

 depressed dull dunce recognised in his classes. But old Adam, 

 in the shape of human nature, was too strong for him. The 

 clever boy would know he was clever, and the dull boy would 

 feel he was dull ; aud the want of the recognition of this fact 

 did much, if it avoided envy and its evils, to arrest also 

 that noble-heartedness which leads the clever, well-principled 

 boy to help the weak and the dull boy. It is the glory of our 

 land that there is scarcely a village in which those better sup- 

 plied with means will not help the poor and the afflicted. Help 

 given to the strong and the able often does more harm than 

 good, as everything does that sinks a man's independence and 

 begets in him anythicg of the dependent or the pauper. As a 

 stimulus to exertion, few modes can be more free from alloy 

 than the prizes given at such exhibitions. .\ man may place 

 the winning cards over his chimney-piece with a pardonable 

 honest pride; and without abating a jot of self-respect and true 

 independence of character, he can take his prize, and show it, 

 and still feel — 



" That man with man, if rich or poor. 

 The best is he fur a' that, 

 Who stands erect in sell-rcspect. 

 And acts the man for a' that." 

 — E. Fish. 



SALVIA PATENS AS A GREENHOUSE PLANT. 



I HAVE no desire to depreciate " J. E 's " remarks on this 

 well-known flower, I merely wish to recommend it for another, 

 and, I think, a more suitable purpose than either beds or 

 borders. Its adaptability for either of these purposes hag 

 long since been found so sUght as not to warrant its retention 

 to the same extent as many other and more useful plants. 



In the more northern part of the kingdom the blooming 

 period of Salvia patens and 8. fulgens is retarded till so late 

 in the season that they are often overtaken by frosts or heavy 

 rains, which speedily put an end to what little bloom might have 

 been shown. These plants are, however, useful for the green- 

 house or conservatory, where they make no mean display 

 among other and more costly subjects. Last year I had a plant 

 of Salvia fulgens 3J feet high, and about 2} feet through, which 

 was greatly admired by many. Unfortunately it met with an 

 accident which compelled me to do away witli it. 



I would recommend those who have not already tried Salvia 

 patens for the greenhouse to do so without delay, as the clear 

 bright blue of its blossom, as " J. R." says, is as yet not ap- 

 proached by any other ordinary plant. It will last for several 



