Jane 6, 1867. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



389 



mount there, that I think not a few persons will be surprised 

 at the unmitigated bad tasto of their large conservatory ; while 

 they will also smile, if they know aught about it, at the attempt 

 at a flower show which it and the other buildings exhibited. 

 The conservatory was half filled with Palms, grouped without 

 any reference to good arrangement or beautiful effect. There 

 was an attempt at grass, which was a miserable failure, while 

 the grouping of the Azaleas was by no means first-rate. I am 

 now alluding to what is called the fourth flower show ; and we 

 may well ask, Where is French horticulture ? Take away the 

 magnificent specimens sent by our zealous countrymen Messrs. 

 Veitch, and the collections of the Belgian growers, and what 

 would there be left ? When I saw the Azaleas they had been 

 some days exhibited, and were manifesting undoubted symp- 

 toms of flagging. The plants exhibited by the French and 

 Belgian growers were very small — not equal to some of the third 

 and fourth-rate collections of our International Show, and 

 amongst the varieties exhibited there was nothing either new 

 or of first-rate excellence. Amongst the new plants M. Linden, 

 of Brussels, Jlessrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, and Mr. Bull, of 

 Chelsea, were the principal exhibitors ; and here again the 

 French nurserymen were out of court. Collections of Agaves 

 and Cacti filled some of the smaller houses ; while in the 

 grounds were some tolerably pretty beds of various kinds of 

 annuals, plunged in pots and grouped together, mixed with 

 Grasses, the prettiest bed being certainly a bed of Rhodanthe 

 Manglesii surrounded with Gollinsia, and that again bordered 

 with Nemophila insiguis. My good old friend, M. Margottin, 

 had just planted a bed of standard Roses under canvas, and 

 very pretty they looked, consisting as they did of many of our 

 best kinds of all classes ; but the plants were not large — 

 nothing more, in fact, than the good ordinary-sized plants 

 which are obtained from any respectable nurseryman. They 

 had been grown under glass (but not forced), especially for the 

 Exhibition. This reminds me that the Tea Rose sent out by 

 GniUot fils last autumn, and called Madame JIargottiu, is 

 really lovely. I have jast bloomed it, and nothing can be more 

 beautiful than the contrast between the outer delicate yeUow 

 petals and the lively peach-coloured centre. 



Any one who remembers what the Champ de Mars was — 

 who can call to mind, as I can, days when one has seen 80,000 

 troops and National Guards defiling before the Emperor, the 

 ground resounding with the trampling of horses, the tread of 

 men, and the roll of the artillery and waggon trains, but must 

 feel astonished at its present aspect ; and I hope I am not 

 hypercritical in regarding the horticultural part as too trifling. 

 It is very wonderful to see the petty lakes and the meandering 

 rivulet ; but, after all, the whole has rather a tea-garden aspect. 

 Immeasurably superior was Mr. Gibson's grand result last 

 year, even although produced under canvas, and consequently 

 having to combat with the poles and framework, which were 

 very likely to mar the effect, but which were lost sight of in the 

 amazing blaze of beauty to be seen at all sides. I think, how- 

 ever, that we must pretty well come to the conclusion that 

 international flower shows are ouly such in name. The perish- 

 able nature of the objects, the expense of transit, the certain 

 loss of plants, make it almost impossible to expect the produc- 

 tions of foreign growers. But verj- few appeared at onr Inter- 

 national Show, and several of those woiild, I should think, 

 never attempt it again. Messrs. Veitch and Mr. Bull are the 

 sole representatives of English horticulture ; and it is manifest 

 that only a firm so wealthy and enterprising as the former 

 eould have sent such collections as they have done. I think 

 one conclusion that every horticulturist may safely come to 

 after a visit to the Paris Exhibition and the Paris nurseries 

 is, that whatever the French may know concerning the 

 theory of horticulture, yet in real love of plants and skill in 

 growing them we are immeasurably beyond our neighbours. 

 Hay I express a hope that some one will keep a sharp look- 

 out on the new Roses, which were to he, I believe, exhibited on 

 June Ist ? — at least a letter from Guillot informed me that he 

 and the other Lyons raisers were about to send their blooms up 

 then ; and there is one flower especially of his which I saw 

 last year — a new hybrid Tea, of which I thought highly, and 

 of which I should like to hear some weD-qualified opinion. 

 Unfortunately, my own visit was so planned this year, that I 

 could not have the opportunity of seeing any of the new Roses. 

 — D., Deal. 



Viola cornuta. — Too much cannot be said in favour of this, 

 either as a spring or autumn bedding plant. I have positively 

 cartloads of it now ia, the highest state of perfection, being 



one perfect mass of flower ; indeed, it is blooming so profusely 

 that the flowers form a perfect sheet of bloom. As to the 

 varieties, my opinion is well known to the readers of your 

 .Journal. I have just had a visit from Mr. Tillyard, who can 

 bear witness to all I have said in its favour and as to its 

 beauty. — Edwakb Ben.nett, Osberton Hall, Worksop. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCEETYS GREAT 

 SHOW.— June 4th. 



This, which commenced on Tuesilay last, and will continne open 

 till Saturday, is the lar;»est horticaltnral exliibition which has taken 

 jilaoo since the International Show last year. It is held in the 

 immense tent which the late Captain Fowke designed — that in which 

 Messrs. Waterer it Godfrey's Rhododendrons were exhibited in former 

 yeai-3 ; and thongh some of the large Ferns and fine-foliaged plants, 

 too tall to place at the sides, obstruct the view of the smaller flowering 

 specimens, still the general effect is very f.'ood, especially when the 

 display is viewed from one end of the tent. Lofty tree Ferns, Yuccas, 

 Dracfenas, and noble Palms at once catch the eye and prevent that 

 appearance of flatness which the more uniform" height of the other 

 plants would give ; and the green turf banks on which the varions sub- 

 jects are arranged, afford a dcUghtful relief to the eye from the bright 

 and varied colours of the masses of flowers. 



Azaleas are numerously shown, the principal exhibitors being 

 Messrs. Penny, AVilkie, and Carson among amateurs, and Mrs. Glen- 

 dinning & Sons aud Mr. Turner among nurserymen. In the class for 

 nine plants, Mr. Penny, gardener to H. Gibbs, Esq., is first with 

 Brilbant, a veiy late variety, with an excellent constitution, producing 

 vivid orange scarlet flowers of good shape and substance ; Chelsoni, 

 Sir C. Napier, Formosa, and JIagnet, aU different shades of orange 

 scarlet : Magnificent and Iveryana, white ; and Model, rose. Mr. 

 Turner is second with plants mostly between 5 and 7 feet in height, 

 and about 5 feet in diameter. HoHordi, Iveryana, and Gem are those 

 in the best condition. 



In the Nurserymen's class for six plants, Mrs. Glendinning & Sons 

 take the first prize with the same plants as shown at the Royal Botanic 

 Society's Show, and Mr. Turner is second with larger plants but not 

 so healthy. In the Amateurs' class for six, Mr. Carson, gardener to 

 ■VV. R. G. Farmer, Esq., Cheam. was awarded a first prize for fine 

 specimens of Apollo, orange scarlet, Symmetry, Stanleyana, Sir C. 

 Napier, Variegata, and Model. 



In class i. fifteen plants in 12-inch pots, the best come from Messrs. 

 Iver^■, of Dorldng. who have among others Madame Ambroise Ver- 

 schaiielt, white flushed with salmon, and heavily spotted in the upper 

 petals \Tith deep red, a very fine and showy variety ; President Claeys, 

 salmon broadly edged with white, Charles Enke, Etoile de Gand, 

 Gem, very bright in colour, Duchesse Adelaide de Nassau, scarlet 

 blotched with violet crimson in the npper petals, verv rich in colotir ; 

 Leopoll I., deep rose; Elegantissima, a fine white,"flaked with oar- 

 mine, bat as shown too sportive in character, and Kinghomi, with 

 large rosy lilac flowers. Mr. Turner has the second prize for a very 

 good collection consisting of several of the preceding kinds. Brilliant, 

 and Pi'-sident with large orange salmon flowers. 



Roses form a most beautiful feature of the Exhibition ; indeed, it is 

 scarcely possible to speak too highly of the beanty of some of the 

 specimen plants. Mr. Turner is first in the class for nine, with a 

 splendid plant of Charles Lawson, and fine examples of Gloire de 

 Dijon, Madame Boll, Gen'-Tal -Jacqueminot, Souvenir d'un Ann. Yi- 

 comte Vigier, Queen, Juno, and Comtesse de Chabrillant. In the set 

 of the same number from Mr. William Paul, who is'second. are fine 

 plants of Jnuo, Paul Perras, Souvenir d'nn Ami, Xiphetos, Senatenr 

 Vaisse, and Comte de Nanteuil. For six plants Messrs. Paul & Son 

 are first with Charles Lawson, .Juno, Souvenir d'nn Ami, Celine Fores- 

 tier, Lord Raglan, and Niphetos, all in excellent bloom. Messrs. 

 Francis, of Hertford, who are second, have good examples of Madame 

 Villermoz and Souvenir d'un Ami. In a miscellaneous collection 

 from Mr. Turner, of Slough, the beautiful Alba Rosea, Souvenir de 

 la Malmaison, and Beanty of 'n^altham are noticeable. 



Of new Roses not sent oat previous to 1864-5, there are only two 

 collections, these being from Messrs. Paul & Son and Mr. 'William 

 Paul, who each receive first prizes. The former have Michel Bonnet, 

 a full rose-coloured flower, Duchesse de Caylns, Pierre Netting, 

 vei^' dark, Madame Victor Verdier, and Princess Mary of Cambridge ; 

 while Mr. W. Paul has. among others. Triomphe do la Terre deg 

 Roses, very large aud fall, violet rose : Jean Roseulrantz, full, crim- 

 son ; and Dr. Ajidry. 



Pelargoniums are numerously exhibited, and with some exceptions 



in excellent comUtion. Mr. Turner, of Slouch, has the first prize 



for nine, showing of light kinds Desdemona, Patroness, and Fairest of 



the Fair: Golden Hue, Lord Clyde, and Landseer, dark: Spotted 



Gem, Mdlle. Patti, and LUicinum. M;-. Fraser is second witk 



Caraetacus, Sylph, Festu?, Empress Eugenie, Sanspareil, Pericles, 



Mdlle. Patti, LUacinum, and Rembrandt. For six, fine phints of Ariel, 



Rose Celestial, Lilacinum, Lord Clyde, Desdexoja, ard Leander, 



from Mr. Fraser, are first : and Mr. Turner is second with, among 



I others, John Hoyle, a showy clouded scarlet variety, with dark npper 



1 petals edged with carmine ; Mary Hoyle, a very pretty orange salmon 



I variety with a white centre and a rather small black blotch. Among 



