14G 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ February 21, 18G7. 



zonica. It is a shy bloomer, flowering only once in three or four years. 

 A like award was made to Bryonopsis laciniosa, from Jlr. W. Kariey, of 

 DigswfU, having fragrant white blossoms with a curious thready fringe, 

 resembling somewhat the flowers of the Snake Cuenmber. It is said 

 to produce berries, but will require crossing, as there did not appear to 

 be any female flowers on the plant. It is an evergreen hothouse 

 climber, and will be valuable for bouijuets. Also to Oncidium species, 

 from New Granada, in the way of O. sphacelatum. from Messrs. Low 

 and Co. It has a good habit, and the flowers are veiy showy. 



Special certificates were awarded the following: — To Mr. Sherratt, 

 gardener to James Batemau, Esq.. of ICnypersley, for cut specimens, 

 with fruit, of Citrus japonica, or Japanese Citron, from a warm green- 

 liouse. The finlt is highly ornamental, and was said by Mr. Fortune to 

 succeed better in the northern districts of China than in the southeni. 

 It was also thought that it might be cultivated out of doors in the 

 warmer portions of the south and west of England. This Citron was 

 originally sent to the Koyal Horticultural Society in 185-1. To a 

 magnificent truss of Rhododendron argentea, from Mr. Squibbs, gar- 

 dener to Mi-s. Turner. Eoolc's Nest, Godstone, said to be of a purer 

 colour than K. Falconeri, and to be the same as R. macrantha, from 

 Bhotan. sent out by M. Van Houtte, of Ghent, a few years ago. To 

 a splendid and wcU-gi-owu specimen of Dendrobium speciosum, from 

 Mr. Wilson, gardener to Vi. Marshall. Esq., Enfield, with four immense 

 spikes of bloom. To Messrs. Veitch il' Sons for a half-standard 

 Aucuba japonica vera, in a tub, the plant being veiy symmetrical, aud 

 well covered with bernes. The diameter of the specimen was about 

 -2i feet. 



Other subjects of interest but which did not receive awards, were a 

 species of Dendrobium, named by Mr. Bateman D. Bullerianum, resem- 

 bling D. Devoniauum without the fringe; it was considered doubtful 

 whether it was a cross or a species: it came from W. "VV. BuUer, 

 Esq., of Strete Raleigli. Exeter, and was not in good condition : Odon- 

 toglosssnm nebulosnm var.. from J. Day, Esq., of Edmonton, con- 

 sidered a good variety, hut too far advanced to judge accurately of its 

 merits ; Begonia Earleysii. a supposed seedling from B. phyllomaniaca, 

 larger than B. digs w ell i en sis, hut showing too much of the large green 

 seed-pods, which detract from the attractiveness of the flowers ; a 

 large plant of Camellia Mathotiana. from Messrs. Veitch &: Sons, the 

 flowers of which were paler in colour than is usually seen ; cut flowers 

 of the old Canarina campanula, from Mr. Davis, gardener to W. 

 Stiide, Esq., Redhridge, Southampton ; some plants of Fuchsia 

 Cloth of Silver, a sport of a creamy-green colour, but too young to 

 judge of its merits ; Iresine Herbstii splendida, a well-coloured 

 specimen of I. Herbstii, not distinct enough to be classed as a vai'iety ; 

 and I. Herbstii aureo- reticulata, pale-green leaves veined with creamy 

 yellow. 



Fruit Co:yrMiTTEE. — Several collections of Apples were exliibited, 

 among which one from Mr. Whiting, of the Deepdene, Dorking, ob- 

 tained a special cei'tificate : it comprised fine examples of Adams' Pear- 

 main, Blenheim Pippin, aud Alfriston. Mr. Parsons, gardener to W. J. 

 Blake, Esq., Danesbury, had a similar award for numerous dishes in 

 excellent condition, and among them Blenheim Pippin was especially 

 fine, both in size and colour. Mr. Earley, Digswell contributed Sam 

 Young, Cockle Pippin, Feam's Pippin, and Dredge's Fame, as wcU as 

 a very good dish of Ashmead's Kernel from Gloucestershire. T. Lax- 

 ton, Esq., of Stamford, sent two seedling Apples, named respectively 

 Stamford Pippin and Wellaud Pippin, neither of which, however, was 

 considered of such merit as to deserve a certificate ; and from Mr. T. 

 Shoi-t, gardener to Viscount Eversley, Heckfield, Hants, came Melon 

 Apple, a shou-y American variety of excellent quality, ripened on a 

 half standard in an orchard. Mr. Sherratt, gardener to J. Bateman, 

 Esq., Knypersley, exhibited the Kumqur-t {Citrus japonica), as pro- 

 duced on the plant, and received a special certificate ; accompanv- 

 ing it were some of the preserved fruits as sold in the shops. Further 

 reference to this small-fruited member of the Orange family will he 

 made in the proceedings of the fortnightly meeting. 



In the Vegetable department Mr. Earley exhibited excellent Shallots, 

 and a good and rather numerous collection of Potatoes, the best of 

 which appeared to he Hardcash, Queen's Own. Mona's Pride, Royal 

 Ashleaf, and Myatt's Ashleaf Ividneys, and of Round varieties Giant 

 Xing, Soden's Early Oxford, and Victoria. From Mr. Dean, seeds- 

 man, Ealing, came Fearnought Cabbage, from a garden in the south 

 of Hampshire, where Broccoli and Kales were much injured by the 

 Beverity of the late frost, whilst the Fearnought was scarcely touched. 

 It is described as being the result of a cross between the Dwarf and 

 the Hearting Kale. It is also stated to be a delicious table vegetable. 

 M. Ernst Benary, of Erfurt, contributed large examples of Celeriac, 

 which is much used in Germany ; but they were pithy, and not good 

 either raw, in salads, or boiled. 



FoRTNT^GHTLT MEETING. — Mr. Bateman, in proposing that Mr. 

 Wilson Saunders should take the chair, said that whilst all must re- 

 gret the resignation of Earl Grosvenor as a member of Council, they 

 could not but rejoice to learn that in accordance with the rules of the 

 Society the Council had that day unanimously elected Mr. Wilson 

 Saunders to fill the vacancy. Mr. Wilson Saunders baring returned 

 thanks the proceedings commenced with the election of twenty-four 

 new members and the admission into union of six Societies — namely, 

 the Chertsey and District Floral and Horticultural Societv, East Neuk 

 of Fife Horticultural Society, Elvetham, Eversley, Brarashill, Yate- 



ley, and Minley Horticultural Society ; Largo Field Naturalists' So- 

 ciety ; Neston, Burton, and Hoswall Floral and Horticultural Society ; 

 and the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society. 



The awards of the Floral and Fruit Committees having been re- 

 ported, the Rev. M. J. Berkeley ofl'ered remarks on some of the plants 

 exhibited and other subjects. Allusion was first made to a variety of 

 Weepiug Ash, which had the peculiarity of not producing seeds, but 

 only poUeniferous flowers, and then to the magnificent Saccolabinm 

 shown by Messrs. Veitch at the December meetiug, and which was 

 imported under the name of S. giganteum, but which had been con- 

 sidered almost identical with S. violaceum. This, however, was not 

 the case, for in S. violaceum the lip is strap-shaped, whilst in S. gigan- 

 teum it is orbicular, besides which several other structural differences 

 were pointed out. The identity of Thuja gigantea with T. Lobbiana, 

 and of the Thuja gigantea of gardens with Libocedrus decurrens. 

 both of which facts are referred to in another page, was then stated, as 

 well as Mr. Pauses success in propagating Chimonanthus gi*andifloruB. 

 Messrs. Garaways fine Amaryllises, and some plants from Mr. "Wil- 

 son Saunders were then specially noticed ; of some species of Sonchus 

 from the latter gentleman, it was remarked that nothing could be 

 more ornamental for table decoration. Of the Bi-youopsis, shown by 

 Mr. Earley, it was ^^tated that the plant would afford a dozen fresh 

 flowers every day, and was therefore valuable for bouquets, besides 

 which, it was said to have showy crimson fruit, and was probably 

 allied to the Bryonopsis erythrocarpa, which was so beautiful in the 

 conservatoi-y last year. The charming varieties of Cyclamens from 

 Messrs. Henderson next occupied attention, aud it was stated that 

 raising such was a mere matter of chance, for out of a thousand seed- 

 liugs not one, perhaps, would prove good ; Mr. Berkeley also added 

 that many of those exhibited had been raised from seed not two years 

 ago. In connection with some Mushrooms which had been brought 

 before the Fruit Committee, it was mentioned that they were not all 

 Agaricus campestris, some appeai-ing to belong to A. arvensis, and the 

 importance of growers collecting spawn from jdaces where Mushrooms 

 are naturally fiuestt was ui'ged, and in this way, too, there was every 

 probability of an improvement being efl^ected in the strain. The sad 

 effects of the late frost were next touched upon, and no part of the 

 couuti-y, Mr. Berkeley said, appeared to have suffered so much as the 

 valley of the Thames, where extremely low temperatures were re- 

 corded. At Chiswick, for instance, the thermometer indicated — 11, at 

 Slough — S, and at Kew — -i ; but there might he some doubt as to 

 the perfect correctness of some of these indications. The damage 

 done to vegetation had been very gi-eat. At Kew a large tree of Cu- 

 pressus,macrocarpa had become a wreck, Arauearias had suffered, and 

 at Chiswick the largest Deodar had suffered severely, whilst the variety 

 robysta was scarcely injured. It was noticed both at Kew and 

 Chiswick, that where plants were covered with snow they were safe, and 

 that the tips of branches bent down iinder the snow were unhurt, whilst 

 the exposed parts were browned. Mr. Berkeley also stated that in 

 some parts of the countiy trees were still suffering from the effects of 

 the frost in the winter of 1860-61, having been injured in the stem* 

 It would be interesting to obtain particulars as to what forest trees 

 had bceu severely injured during the past frost. 



Mr. Wilson Saunders considered that a gx-eat Jessonwasto be gained 

 from the effects of the lati frost, and particularly in respect to the 

 great preservative action of snow. He then exhibited to the Meeting 

 specimens of Deodars. Ganya elliptica, and other shrubs, showing 

 how they had been affected where exposed, aud that they were little, 

 if at all, injured where covered with snow ; and he remarked that 

 many plants which will live in a very cold climate will be killed in 

 this countiT because they have not the same snow covering. Varie- 

 gated plants, too, will not stand cold so well as the original species; 

 thus, he had specimens of the Irish Ivy, showing that to be uninjured, 

 whilst the variegated Common Ivy was killed ; the Common Peri- 

 winkle was hardy, but its variegated form would not stand cold, and 

 the same with many other plants. It was also worthy of remark that 

 plants of the same land are not equally hardy in the same situation : 

 hence in selecting plants it is very uecessaiy to choose those having a 

 good constitution. 



Mr. Berkeley, in answer to a question put by Mr. Wilson Saunders, 

 as to why the Deodar should suffer here, said that though the tree was 

 subjected to an extreme degree of cold in its native country, yet before 

 the frost set in there were cold rains, and grovrth was brought to a 

 standstill ; but in the vaUey of the Thames tho trees before the last 

 frost were full of sap. 



Major Trevor Clarke desired to state that the late severe frost had 

 enabled him to prove the entire hardiness of Disa grandiflora, a most 

 interesting and beautiful African jilant. He had had it out of doors 

 for tliree winters on trial, and only needed such a test as the present 

 year afforded. It would now become a most useful addition to our 

 hardy plants. 



Mr. Bateman said his duties with respect to the Orchids would be 

 onerous, for there was quite an inundation of beautiful specimens of 

 that order. Among Cattleyas the palm must be awarded to the variety 

 from Mr. Bamett, of Blackheath. Mr. Anderson, gardener to T. Daw- 

 son, Esq., of Meadow Bank, near Glasgow, camo next with a large 

 number of rare and interesting kinds, many of them exhibited for the 

 first time. Among them was OuL'idium nubigenum, which, though it 

 might appear insignificant, was not the less remarkable, for it had 

 been found at an elevation greater than any other — namely, 14.,000feet 



