224 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 28, 1807. 



and I showed him Mr. Pince's testimonial. He eaid, " I am 

 quite of the same opinion," and told me it was the only Pea 

 produced at Northumberland House on the grand entertain- 

 ment of the Prince and Princess of Wales. It was the favourite 

 Pea of the Duie and Duchess o£ Northumberland, as well as of 

 their cooks ! 



Now I really think I have given you a certificate of merit 

 equal to any that can be produced in behalf of any vegetable 

 grown. I have only to add that I am net in the remotest 

 degree interested in the sale of the seed, but I like to enjoy a 

 flavour " on the palate of my friend," and are not all gardeners 

 and garden lovers friends ? — and, especially, are not all who 

 read " our Journal " friends ? The seed was sent into the 

 market last year by Mr. Pince, and can still, I believe, be ob- 

 tained either from him or Messrs. Hurst & Son, Leadenhall 

 Street. 



I regret I have none to offer this year, but my last I sent the 

 other day to Mr. Poynter, the very intelligent nurserymen at 

 Taunton. 



If you are not weary of this long story I should like to say 

 a word about the mode of sowing Peas. 



Can you, or any of your correspondent.?, tell me anything 

 about the Natjee or Naitji Orange ? A friend who had received 

 some plants from the Cape kindly gave me one ; he has forgotten 

 from whence it was originally brought into South Africa, and 

 I am desirous to obtain any amount of information possible 

 touching the home and habits of the tree, and the character of 

 its fruit, said to be delicious. — C. P. 



MR. WILLIAM PAUL'S SHOW OF SPRING 

 FLOWERS. 



This exhibition, held in the eastern conservatory arcade in 

 the Eoyal Horticultural Society's gardens, South Kensington, 

 opened on Tuesday last, and will continue till the 6th of April. 

 It is in all respects a most admirable display, whether the 

 general arrangement and the choice of the flowers or their 

 indii'idual excellence be considered ; in fact, nothing less could 

 be expected from a horticulturist of Mr. Paul's reputation, and 

 ■who this year, as last, has taken the foremost position as a 

 cultivator of spring flowers. His successes at the recent shows 

 render cjmment on the merits of the Hyacinths, Tulips, and 

 many of the other subjects composing the exhibition almost 

 superfluous, indeed many of the flowers have been already 

 specially noticed ; we shall therefore confine ourselves to giving 

 a short account of the arrangement. 



Commencing at the conservatory end of the arcade, the first 

 stage is filled with a large group of Tulips of many varieties 

 in beautiful bloom, with cut blooms of Koses in front. Next, 

 there is in the centre of the arcade a group of remarkably fine 

 pot Eoses, conspicuous among which are Alba Eosa and Pre- 

 sident ; then at a short distance there is an oblong table on 

 which are ranged single rows of Chinese Primroses and Cro- 

 cuses, a double row of Tulips, five rows of Hyacinths, and 

 Narcissuses at the back. The Hyacinths on this stage are 

 arranged in bands of several rows of each colour across the 

 longitudinal rows, and with very good effect. The fourth group 

 is a mixed one of Azaleas, Deutzias, Cytisus. Acacias, Erioste- 

 mons, Correas, Cinerarias, Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium, &c. ; 

 and the fifth an octagonal stage of Eoses, similar to the second 

 group, and containing fine examples of Pierre Netting, Baron 

 Prevost, Marechal Niel, and other fine varieties in excellent 

 bloom. Next there is a mass of Lilacs, double-flowering 

 Peaches, Clematises, Ehododendrons, Variegated Weigela 

 rosea, Gueklres Eose, &c.; adjoining this a stage filled with a 

 mixed collection of plants in flower ; and lastly, a stage on 

 which are ranged about 130 pots of Hyacinths of numerous 

 varieties and with magnificent spikes. 



But this is not all ; along the front of the arcade, there is a 

 series of tables variously filled. Perhaps the most interesting 

 to many is that at the end farthest from the conservatory on 

 which are placed several of the handsome new varieties of Au- 

 cnba, male and female plants in flower, also the handsome 

 Ligustrum japonicum maculatum, variegated Euonymus, &c., 

 ■with fruiting Aucubas at the back. The second of these tables 

 has small plants of Cytisus Atleeanus as an edging, then a 

 row of vaiiegated Hydrangea, Euonymus radicans variegatus, 

 and at the back E. macrophyllus with beautiful shining green 

 leaves, and the rose and white variegated Vitis Labrusca. On 

 the third table Isolepis and Cyti.sus, placed alternately, serve as 

 an edging to Cyclamens, Mignonette, pink Hyacinths, and 



white and blue varieties at the back. The fourth table is filled 

 with Chinese Primulas and Deutzia gracilis, with Dielytra 

 spectabilis at the back ; the fifth with purple Crocuses, white 

 and blush Hyacinths, and Narcissuses ; the sixth with Isolepis 

 gracilis, Cytisus, mixed Crocuses, Lily of the Valley, and Hya- 

 cinths ; and the seventh with Hyacinths, Narcissus, &c. 



This show, one of the most attractive which have ever been 

 seen at this season, reflects the greatest credit on the skill, 

 enterprise, and resources of Mr. W. Paul, and no one we are 

 confident would willingly miss the gratification which it i» 

 calculated to afford. 



ROY.VI. 



HORTICULTURAI^ SOCIETY, 



Makch 26th. 



At three o'clock Mr. W. Paul delivered a lecture in the Conncil-roonj 

 on Spring Flowers, of whicli his exhibition has been just noticed. Dr. 

 Hoj^R, F.L.S., in the chair. After a few introductory observations by 

 the Chairman, Mr. Paul proceeded — 



The task assigned to me to-day is to give you a popular account of 

 this exhibition. I shall purposely avoid nil scientiiic details ; my 

 remarks will bo chiefly cultural. Working on the conception fh^ 

 some present would like to hear how these plants are produced, would 

 like to see such in their own gardens, I thall content myself with 

 showing in as concise a manner as possible how that object may be 

 attained. 



It is true there is a short road to the possession of these plants-* 

 namely, to buy them as at present exhibited. But by purchasing a 

 plant when in the climax of its beauty one does not realise all the 

 pleasure and satisfaction derivable from cultivatiDg it from an early 

 period of growth. It will, I think, be allowed that every stage of 

 ]>rogress in a plant is perfect in its way, and there is a freshness, 

 change, and beauty in the gradual development. 



I shall commence my observations by bracketing together HyacinthPT 

 Tulips, Narcissi, and Crocuses, which are usually spoken of collectively 

 as Dutch bulbs. Be it observed, these bulbs are among the least costly, 

 most easily cultivated, and most effective of early flowers. Although 

 called Dutch bulbs, originally Hyacinths and Tulips are natives of the 

 Levant, and have been Imown in this country for nearly three hundred 

 years. Now, however, their descendants, much altered in size, form, 

 and colour, are or should be annually imported from Holland, where 

 their cultivation is carried out on so large a scale as to he an important 

 branch of national industiy. 



I may perhaps be allowed to remark here that the best Dutch bnlbs 

 usually find their way into the hands of the English dealers. The 

 Hyacinths sent to this country are groivn from offsets of the root, and 

 are usually four or five years old. In favonrahle seasons, with free- 

 growing-sovts, or in the event of a scarcitv of any particular sort^ 

 three-years-old roots are sometimes sent, hut such do not produce the 

 finest spil:es of flowers. Dutch bulbs usually arrive in England in 

 the month of August, packed in hags and boxes, in what is termed a digr 

 state, in which they somewhat resemble Onions. 



Now, with regard to the culture of these bulbs, I will assume that 

 the cultivator has obtained possession of good bulbs, bidbs which have 

 not been hastily forced into the market, but which have the stamp and 

 stamina of age. and which have been skilfully handled throughont 

 their previous stages of development. Without this there is little 

 hope of reaching a high standard of excellence. If you start wrong 

 no after-skdl or attention will set you altogether right. Let us then 

 assume the possession of good bulbs. Now, they may be grown in 

 pots or boxes in earth, or in glasses in water. I will first relate how 

 they are managed when grown in earth. Sandy loam enriched by a 

 free addition of manure is the best compost in which to plant them. 

 Plant in October, leanug the apex or crown of the bulb just ]U-otnid- 

 ing above the soil, and afterwards thoroughly soak the soil with water. 

 When drained, place the boxes, pots, or vases, in which they are 

 planted on the level soil, covering them over with 6 inches of cocoa 

 fibre, old tan, or cinder ashes. Now, the length of time they should 

 remain under this covering will depend on the period at which they 

 are wanted to bloom. If removed in Januaiy, gradually inured to 

 heat and light, well watered if dry, and placed first in a cold frame, 

 and then in a greenhouse with gentle heat, they will bloom in great 

 perfection early in March. If removed in December and a little more 

 heat employed, they will flower early in February. If removed in 

 November they should, a fair amount of heat being employed, flower 

 in January. It should he home in mind, that a jilentiful supply of 

 water is requisite at the period when tho leaves and flower-spikes are 

 extending, and duiing the whole period of flowering. The spikes of 

 flowers should also be tied up almost d.ay by day to preserve their 

 symmetry. 



This, then, is the way in which the Hyacinths before you are pro* 

 dnced in pots. The rationale of cultivation in glasses in water is the 

 same ; hut instead of pots, glasses are used ; instead of earth, water; 

 instead ©f covering with fibre we place the glasses, if transparent, in 

 a dark cupboard principally for the reason that the roots feed most 

 freely in the dark. But we must not keep them in the dark too long. 

 Gradually inure them to the light when the roots are fairly developed 

 and before the leaves are 2 inches long. Their season of flowering. 



