JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



( March 28, 1867. 



the same day the following sorts — Carter's First Crop, Dick- 

 eon's First and Best, Dillistoue's Early, and Sangster'e No. 1. 

 They came in for use on tbe foUowiug dates : — Dickson's First 

 and Best, June 11th ; Carter's First Crop, June lOtb ; the 

 other two sorts about a week afterwards: so that with me 

 Dickson's proved to be five days earlier than Carter's First 

 Crop, and what was of more importance, Dickson's gave double 

 the gatherings that First Crop did, and continued in bearing 

 much longer. I have no besitatiou in saying that Dickson's 

 Pea is the very best early Pea I have grown. I discarded all 

 but Dickson's, and Sangster's, for early work this season. 



I have no interest in stating the above facts, more than that 

 we may prove which really are the earliest and best vegetables 

 to grow generally. I should like to hear of more gardeners 

 stating their opinions of the above Peas, or any others they 

 think better. — John Brookes, Four Oaks Park, 'iVaru-ickshire, 



ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S FIRST SPRING 

 SHOW. 



This was held on Saturday last, chiefly in the conservatory instead 

 of, as usual, in a tent— au inuovation which was judged expedient in 

 consequence of tbe wintry weather experienced up to tbe previous 

 evening ; and although tbe temperature became milder the chanjje was 

 far from favourable to tbe success of a flower show, for rain fell more 

 or less till late in the afternoon. In its principal features tbe Exhi- 

 bition resembled that held at South Kensington on tbe previous Tues- 

 day — in fact, a gi'eat portion of tbe subjects shown were reproduced 

 on this occasion, and having been already noticed, will here claim only 

 a passing mention. 



Of Hyacinths. Mr. W. Paul's set of twelve were far superior to 

 those from any other exhibitor, and consisted of magnificent examples 

 of Mont Blanc. Van Speyk, Princess Marj' of Cambridge. Grandeur 

 a Merveille. Baron Vou Tnyll, King of the Blues, Koh-i-Noor, Vunx- 

 baak, Sir Henry Havelock, Solfaterre, Blondin, and Prince Albert. 

 Mr. W, Cntbush, of Bamet, who was second in the Nurserymen's 

 Class, had very- good spikes of Von Schiller, Charles Dickens, Cavaig- 

 nac, General Havelock, Argus, and Ida ; and Mr. Kirtland, Albion 

 Kursery, Stote Newington, was third. 



Amateurs' collections of twelve were not up to the mark. Mr. 

 Wheeler, gardener to Sir F. GolJsmid. Bart., Regents' Park, was first; 

 and Mr. Bartlett, Hammersmith, second. 



Of new varieties, Mr. W. Paul, who was the only exhibitor, had tbe 

 first prize for Linnaeus, Prince Albert Victor, Lord Shaftesbury, and 

 Blondin, described last week ; La Grandesse, with broader and flatter 

 bells than Mont Blanc, and<Victor Emmanuel, pale crimson, striped 

 with deeper crimson in the centre of each petal. Mr. W. Paul con- 

 tributed, in adthtion, a numerong and very fine collection, in which 

 Carmine, though not remarkable for tbe size of its spike, was con- 

 spicuous by its vivid crimson colour. Lord Cowley, between the 

 silvery giey of Blondin and the pale blue of Princess Mary, was also 

 noticeable. 



Tulips were also shown in great beauty by Mr. W. Paul, who was 

 first for eighteen with Vermilion Brilliant ; Eoi Pepin, white flaked 

 with crimson ; Couleur Cardinal, violet-shaded deep red ; ^Vbite 

 Pottcbakker ; Proserpine, violet-shaded rose ; Fabiola, rosy purple and 

 white ; Van der Neer, purple shaded with violet ; Globe de Kigaut, 

 pur]>le streaked with white ; and Keizerskroon. In a numerous collec- 

 tion from the same exliibitor, Brutus rectifie, yellow heavily feathered 

 with crimson scarlet, was very showy. Mr. Kirtland was second, Mr. 

 Cutbusb, Earnet, third. 



Cytlameus were again shown in great beauty, and Mr. Wiggins and 

 Messrs. E. G. Henderson took the first and second prizes, while Mr. 

 Xodman, gardener to R. Hudson. Esq., Clapbam Common, was third. 



Of Narcissus, an excellent collection was furnished by Mr. Paul, 

 among which Bazelman major. Queen of Yellows, yellow with a deep 

 yellow cup ; aud Soleil d'Or, yellow with an orange cup, were large and 

 flne. Mr. Paul, Mr. Cutbusb, and Mr. Todman likewise furnished 

 fine pots of Lily of the Valley. 



Chinese Primulas raised from Mr. WilUams's strain of seed, ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Wiggins, gardener to W. Beck, Esq.. Islewortb, were 

 again first. Mr. Todman being second, and Mr. Wheeler third. Prizes 

 were likewise awarded to Mr. Paul and Mr. Todmau for cut blooms of 

 Camellias ; and Mr. Bull produced plants of the same previously 

 shown at Kensington. 



Koses furnished by Mr. W. Paul, in remarkable pei*fection for the 

 season, constituted an important feature of the display, and it may be 

 nsefnl to notice some of tbe best. These were Le Rhone with some 

 eighteen blooms and buds. Alba Rosa always very beautiful in spring, 

 President, a splendid specimen with about two dozen blooms ; EUza- 

 beth Vigneron, Senateur Vaisse, Ccenr dc Lion with nine fine blooms ; 

 Madame de Stella not fully out, but will be very beautiful ; aud Ma- 

 dame Victor Verdier. Several stands of cut blooms were furnished by 

 the same exhibitor, and by Messrs. Paul tt Son, to both of whom 

 extra prizes were awarded. 



For miscellaneous flowering and fine-foUagcd plants Mr. Williams, 

 Holloway, was first with Azalea Triumphans in fine bloom, Gene- 



tyllis fuchsioides, an excellent specimen of Eriostemon pulchellnni, 

 Chararorops humilis. Variegated Aloe-leaved Yucca, and CordyUne in- 

 divisa, the last remarkably fine. Mr. Bull, who was second, had a 

 very fine example of Cibotium princeps measuring at least 9 feet across 

 the fronds, Brahea duliis, Dracrona australis latifolia, his fine speci- 

 men fruiting Aucuba, &c. Mr. Wheeler was third with a collection in 

 which we noticed a good Alocasia metallica, Dicksouia antarctica, 

 Pandanus javanicus variegatus. and a well-bloomed jdant of Azalea 

 indica alba. A collection was also furnished by Mr. Paul, consisting 

 of Rhododendrons, Ruses, Deutzias, Clematises, Lilacs, tiowerinc 

 Peaches, the fine standard Genista purgans shown at Kensington, and 

 other plants. Mr. Cutbusb, Bamet, contributed his fine plants of 

 Mignonette, Acacia Drummondi, and Erica Wilmoreana superba, 

 double-flowering Prunus sinensis, &c. ; and Mr. Wilhams a numerous 

 collection in which were Statice Holfordii. Franciscea confertiflora, 

 Anthurium Scherzeriannm, Vanda iusignis, Genetyllis, variegated 

 Anauassa, Anthurium acaule with five of its long spadices, plaited like 

 a whip-thong, a flne specimen of Agave tilifera, Todea pellucida, Lo- 

 marias, Gleichenia dicarpa, &c. Of other subjects Mr. Wheeler con- 

 tributed Chinese Azaleas, and Messrs. Dobson & Son Cinerarias in 

 excellent bloom, the Idnds being Duke of Cambridge, largo velvety 

 purplish crimson self; John Spencer, paler in colour; Estelle, white, 

 dark disk, aud rosy purple edge ; Admiration (Dobson), in the same 

 style, but with a broader edge ; Favourite, cream white, dark <hsk, 

 narrow pnqile edge ; and Lady Theodora Grosvenor (Fairbaira), white 

 with deep bluish violet edge. Messrs. Dobson received an extra prize 

 for this collection, and similar prizes were awarded to Mr. Bai-tlett for 

 Filmy Ferns and miscellaneous flowering plants, to Mr.Ford. gardener 

 to W. E. Hubbard, Esq., St. Leonard's Lodge. Horsham, for Apples 

 and Pears in excellent preservation, and to Mr. Bull and Mr. Williams 

 for collections of new and rare plants, those from the former being 

 nearly the same as exhibited at Kensington. 



Among novelties first-class certificates were awarded for the follow- 

 ing : — To Mr. Wiggins for a beautiful Cattleya Warscewiczii with a 

 very richly-coloured lip ; to Messrs. Jackson, of Kingston, for a variety 

 called dehcata, pale pink, with a yellow throat : to Mr. Bull, for Odonto- 

 glossum Alexandrre, Cypripedium concolor, and Dayanum ; Aralia 

 spathulata aud crassifnlia pieta, Agave macrocautha, CamelHa Lavinia 

 Maggi rosea, a beautiful deep rose-coloured variety ; variegated Phajus ; 

 and Rogeria hybrida. with Laurustinus-like heads of pale rose-coloured 

 blossom. Mr. Williams had similar awards for Amaryllis Ixion, 

 scarlet, with a white band towards the base of tbe petals ; and for 

 Odoutoglossum maculosum, the singular flowers of which are green, 

 dotted with brown, and have a hairy white lip. First-class certificates 

 were also awarded to Mr. W. Paul, for his new Hybrid Perpetual Rose 

 Coeur de Lion ; aud to Mr. CruickshaukB, gardener to W. Jones Loyd, 

 Esq., Langleybury, for his lilac-striped Verbena Lady of Langley- 

 bury. Second-class certificates were awarded to Mr. Williams for 

 Ananassa Poi-teana, dili'ering from the common variegated Pine Apple 

 in having a broad baud of yellow down the centre of each leaf, the 

 rest of tbe leaf being ohve green ; and Azalea Charmer, a promising 

 rosy-pink variety; to Mr. Bull, for Odoutoglossum gloriosum ; and to 

 Messrs. E. G. Henderson, for Pyrethrum Golden Feather. The same 

 firm also contributed a collection of tricolor Pelargoniums, as did Mr. 

 Watson, of St. Albans, who had among others, Mrs. Dix and Miss 

 Watson which bad previously received certificates. 



rnOTECTING PEAS AND BEANS. 



" R. F.," in "Doings of the Last Week," contributed to 

 your Journal for March 14th, details his method of protecting 

 Beans and Peas from pheasants and partridges, and in a pre- 

 vious Number refers to the "Pea Protector," an illustrated 

 advertisement of which appears in the Journal, and also a de- 

 scription by Jlr. J. Douglas, at 199. I beg to state that for 

 several years I have used here, Messrs. Barnard S: Bishop's 

 inch mesh galvanised wire netting, 24 inches wide, also ad- 

 vertised in your Journal, for the same purpose, and find it a 

 perfect protection against the smallest birds. It is easily fixed 

 by bending it arch-like over the row, when the Peas begin to 

 break the ground, and pegging it down at the edges with com- 

 mon hooked sticks; in fact, it almost retains its arch-like form 

 without any peg. It may be cut into any length required, and 

 when done with is easily rolled up and stowed away. Its roomy 

 arch also gives ample space for the Peas to grow without 

 clinging to it, until they are quite safe from sparrows, and in 

 such weather as we experience this spring, it affords an ex- 

 cellent skeleton for old matting or litter for protection from 

 frosts and cutting winds. The Pea protector is smaller in its 

 arch, and apparently more expensive, it also seems to be 

 slighter, and I should imagine, therefore, less durable. 



My employer has also used the netting above referred to for 

 some years as a guard for young trees, cutting it into lengths of 

 6, 8, or 10 feet, according to the height of the bole of the tree 

 required to be guarded, and putting it up lengthwise, and lacing 

 it up round the tree with a galvanised wire, and it certainly is 

 much the cheapest and most effective guard used. It perfectly 



