308 



JOUENAL OP HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



t Moy 2, 1367. 



greatly superior, by reducing the time required to do the work, 

 and easing tlie worlcman, to the hedge shears or scythe, both of 

 which I have ceased to use for the purpose. In large gardens 

 where there is much of this work to do, grass-edging shears 

 will be found very useful. The work can be done without 

 csing the line, or topping, and if the edging he cut every year, 

 this may be done very speedily. I believe this tool has been 

 used by others, but not so much as is desirable, for cutting 

 Box edgings. — James Reid. 



CULTURE OF TRICOLOR PELARGONIUMS- 

 TURF SOIL FOR POTTED PLANTS. 



In your number of April ISth, Mr. Wills recommends fresh 

 torfy loam and bone dust, and manure water when the pots 

 are well filled with roots. I know the plants will grow amaz- 

 ingly in this compost, and the j'oung leaves are very nicely 

 coloured, but as they develope themselves the colours lose 

 their brightness and regularity, and the leaves become very 

 large and soft, and lose that fresh appearance which I consider 

 so essential in this section of Pelargoniums. 



I practised that method of growing them three years ago, 

 and strongly recommend it when the object is to increase the 

 stock quickly ; but I now, in growing specimens for the decora- 

 tion of the conservatory, dispense with the fresh loam and 

 manure water, and use the loam with the fibre in it quite half- 

 decayed to feed the plants instead. I find them make sturdier 

 and shorter-jointed growth, smaller leaves, which retain their 

 freshness of colouring a gi-eater length of time, and the plants 

 exhibit altogether a much smarter appearance than when 

 grown soft and luxuriantly. I do not think boiled hall-inch 

 bones have this objectionable effect, and though I have not 

 recommended them in my took on the hybridisation* of this 

 class of Pelargoniums, I believe such may be used with ad- 

 vantage ; but I cannot perceive what use a 32-sized-potful of 

 the bones in a barrow-load of compost can be. I have used 

 three times that quantity, but I consider it very extravagant, 

 unless the plants had to remain in the same soil for a long 

 period. 



I do not understand what Mr. Wills means by a temperature 

 of 5.5° or 60' for the atmosphere, and of 45' or 50° for bottom 

 heat in the propagating-house ; the small thumb-pots, which 

 are about li inch deep, to be partially plunged. This would 

 suggest the idea that an inch of the material on the surface of 

 the bed should be 10° lower than the atmosphere in the same 

 house. If there is any misprint here I think it would be as 

 well to draw attention to it, as I have known amateurs very 

 much perplexed by trifles of this sort, in trying to adhere 

 strictly to instructions laid down fur them. 



The" cuttings strike very freely in a temperature of from 55° 

 to 60° in my propagating-house, on the platform, which has 

 three hot-water pipes (four-inch), underneath it, all on the 

 same level, about (J inches lower than the under surface of the 

 platform, which is 7 feet wide : the flow-pipe runs down the 

 middle. There is a T-pipe at tl.e ex'reme end from the boiler, 

 then an elbow on each side, and a return-pipe runs down each 

 side of the flow the full length of the platform, which is formed 

 of slate, supported by brick pillars i feet apart. 



I find Pelargoniums and all softwooded plants strike freely 

 on this platform, either in or out of pots. There are no other 

 pipes for heating the atmosphere. The platform is 4 inches 

 from the front wall to allow the heat to come up ; of course 

 there is nothing to prevent its rising at the back where the 

 path runs. 



Much having been written of late respecting the use of fresh 

 turfy loam for general purposes, I beg to state the results of 

 my experience for the benefit of amateurs who, I know, look 

 so anxiously after information of this sort. As a rule, I use 

 fresh turf for Vines, or anything that has to remain a long time 

 in the same soil or pot, as Camellias ; but for anything that is 

 required to develope itself quickly, and do the whole of its 

 work in the period of two or three months after the last shift, 

 and is then shaken out of the pots, as are Pelargoniums and 

 most softwooded plants, I prefer having the turf quite half de- 

 cayed. Also, for Cucumbers, I prefer it thus decayed, as it is 

 ready for them to feed upon at once, and they make stouter 

 and shorter-jointed growth. 



I am afraid that those who use loamy turf for Azaleas will 



• Mr. Dixon calls it hybridisatior, bat, strictly sreaking, it is cross- 

 breeding. 



find themselves in a bad way in two or three years, just when 

 their plants should be at their heat. I have used it, and am 

 thoroughly acquainted with its effects. 



As regards making moderately-large heaps of turf — say 3 feet 

 wide, and 4 or 5 feet high, to decay for potting purposes, I can 

 see no objection to the practice. I once made a very large 

 heap of turf that was taken from a field that was to be ploughed, 

 which had never been broken up before " in the memory of the 

 oldest inhabitant." The third spring from the time that it 

 was stacked I found it suit my purpose better than it had 

 done before. In fact, I never had plants succeed so uniformly. 

 I am quite decided it was more valuable in that state than 

 when fresh, consequently I recommend such turf in all cases 

 where the plants are required to do their work in a short period 

 of time. I know a specimen plant-grower, probably the best in 

 England, who stacks his turf in very large heaps.— T. DixoN, 

 Gardener, Watcrdale, Sutlon, St. Hele}i.<i. 



ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY'S SPRING SHOW. 



This, tbe last spring Sbow for the season, was held on Saturday 

 and though the showers in the forenoon were frequent and heavy, the 

 aftenioon was tolerably fine, and there was even some snnshme. 



Roses again constituted a leading feature, and among those shown 

 by Messrs. Tnmer, Paul & Son, and Lftne, were si)ecimens which for 

 beauty and profusion of bloom it would be difficult to sui-pass at any 

 season. For nuie, Mr. Turner was first with Charles Lawson, very 

 fine, a magnificent specimen of Vietor Verdier, and Alpaide de Kota- 

 lier. Lord Clyde, Marichal Vaillant, Professor Koch, Celine Forestier, 

 with thirty blooms, Madame Villermoz, and Souvenu- dun Ami, all ot 

 which were excellent. Messrs. Paul & Son, who were second, had of 

 rose-coloured kinds, beautiful specimens of Anna Alexieff, and Madame 

 de Stella : Lord Clyde, and Madame Boutm, crimson ; Le Rhone, 

 deep red; and of Tea varieties, Alba Rosa, Souvenir d'Elise,! resi- 

 dent, and Souvenir d'un Ami. Messrs. Lone & Son were thud with 

 very good specimens of Vicomte Vigiei , P.erre Netting, with numerous 

 rich velvety dark crimson blooms; .'taiGoujon. rich violet-shaded 

 crimson ; Anna Alexieff, Comtesse d. C cibrillant, and Tnomphe de 

 Momy, different shades of rose ; Lom e Darzens and Madame Alfred 

 de Rongemont, white. Messrs. Lane also exhibited a small coUectlon, 

 for which they were awarded an extra prize. 



In the Amateurs' Class good specimens of Francois Lacharme, 

 Madame C. Wood, Jules Margottin, and others from Mr. James, gar- 

 dener to W. F. Watson. Esq., Isleworth, and Mr. Wiggins, gardener 

 to W. Beck. Esq., took the first and second prizes. ^ , , „ 



For new Roses of 18(54, 1805, and 1SG6, Messrs. Paul & Son were 

 first with Fisher Holmes, velvety crimson ; Princess Mary of Cam- 

 bridge, pale rose; and Duchesse de Caylus, bright carmine Mr. 

 Tui-uer was second with Duchesse de Caylus, Marechal ^lel, very 

 fine, and Mademoiselle Marguerite Uombrain, delicate rose colour. 

 Messrs. Lane, who were third, had Dr. Andiy, cheiTy red ; MarceUa, 

 salmon ro.se, sha.Ung oft to white; and Duke ot Wellington, shaded 

 velvety crimson. . „ 



Several boxes of cut blooms were shown, in which were fine ex- 

 amples of Marechal Niel, John Hopper, Exposition de Bne, Camille 

 BeiTiardine, MdUe. Marie Rady, Madame C. Wood, Celine Forestier, 

 and Vicomte Vigier ; but the gem of tbe whole was Maria Baumann, 

 bright red, shown by Mr. Turner. Messrs. Paul & Son had a first 

 prize for twenty-four" blooms, Mr. Turner being second, and were also 

 first for miscellaneous boxes. 



Of Pelargoniums Mr. Wiggins was the only exhibitor, taking the 

 first prize with, for tllis season, finely-bloomed specimens of "V estal, 

 Beadsman, Roseum, Pline, and Madame Reicie. , . . 



Mr. James had extra prizes for Calceolarias, of a very good strain, 

 and Cinerarias ; and a similar award was made to Messrs. Dobson 

 and Son for nine Azaleas, among wbieb were Keme des Doubles, 

 bright rose, and Baron de Yriire, blush, heavily spotted with rosy 

 crimson in the npp'Jr petals. , ,r -r- t ol„„„>> 



Of Anriculas, the best were those shown by Mr. Turner, of Slough, 

 who hadLycurgus (Smith), Duke of Kent (Dickson), General Bo ival 

 slSith) Sophia (Chapman), Fair Maid (Ligbtbody), and Metropohtan 

 Spahling). Messrs. Dobson & Son were second in the nurse,7men s 

 class, and in that for amateurs Mr. Butcher, fC^'-^i-y.-eU^^s 

 first with Sophia (Chapman), John Penn, Robert IraiU (L>ghtbo^). 

 Blueber and Bright Pha'bus ; Mr. Cox. Camden Town, and Mr 

 James beSigsccon'a and third. Mr. Tumor also exhibited scvera 

 seedlings, of which Crown Prince, mulberiy set, CheerfulueBS Colonel 

 Champneys, and diaries Turner receired first-class eertihea e , like- 

 wise a fine collection of Alpmes. 01 these Lustre, rich leddish 

 bZn had a fl°st class certificate, whilst Deh^ance, Jessie, Trumpeter, 

 Selina and Vivid were awarded certificates of the second class. 



WPansies, tbe best twenty-four cut blooms came from Mr. James 

 Mr. Hooper, Bath, being second; and the first-named exhibitor also 

 ook an extra prize for excellent plants in pots, the vaneties bemg 

 Mastei^iece, Dux, Imperial Prince, and Rev. H. Dombram dark selfs ; 

 v'sttTriuiose self ;'wm. Austm, J. »• Dow«?'^;^^ancellor and A 

 Wharrard, yeUow gi-ounds ; and Cupid, IVUss E. Cochiane, and Lady 



